28 Jul 2006

Taiwan to host Pacific summit in Palau

4:57 pm on 28 July 2006

Taiwan will host a Pacific Summit meeting in Palau in early September, five months after China hosted a Pacific summit in Fiji.

It will be the first summit between Taiwan and its diplomatic allies in the Pacific and it is to become an annual meeting in the future.

The meeting will be hosted by Taiwan's President, Chen Shui-bian, who will make his third Pacific islands trip in two years.

The Marshall Islands has confirmed its attendance, with Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Kiribati and Nauru also expected to be present.

The two Chinas host countries with which they have diplomatic ties.

In May, Japan held a summit with all Pacific Islands countries and a months ago, France hosted a Pacific summit with the same countries in Paris.