Nauru demands China apologise for “disrespect” at Pacific forum

WELLINGTON/SYDNEY, (Reuters) The tiny Micronesian state of Nauru is demanding a formal apology after a dispute with China’s representative at this week’s Pacific Islands Forum brought to the surface tensions with Beijing over its support for Taiwan.

But China said it was Nauru, one of the world’s smallest countries, that should be saying sorry.

Nauru, an island country of roughly 12,000 inhabitants, hosted leaders of 18 Pacific nations, plus delegations from non-member countries including the United States and China, for the forum.

The spat occurred when Nauru’s President Baron Waqa refused to give way when the head of the Chinese delegation, diplomat Du Qiwen, demanded to be allowed to address the forum before the Prime Minister of Tuvalu on Tuesday.

Waqa described China’s envoy as “very insolent” and a “bully” for speaking out of turn.

Nauru and Tuvalu are two of six Pacific countries to have diplomatic ties with Taiwan, which is a major source of tension with China, which regards Taiwan as a wayward province, to be taken back by force if necessary.

During a media conference that followed the leaders’ meeting at the forum late on Wednesday, Nauru’s president was asked whether he would seek a formal apology from China over its envoy’s behaviour.

“We will go further than that, I tell you we won’t just seek an apology, we will actually get the forum to do it...as well as our own and we will even take it up to the UN,” Waqa said.

“Never mind they are big, they are our partners, they should not disrespect us.”

In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Nauru was to blame for the drama.