Pacific Island foreign ministers meeting in Suva on August 7 failed to agree on a joint statement condemning China's July submarine-launched ballistic missile test; Kiribati and Nauru, both of which switched recognition from Taiwan to China in recent years, blocked consensus; New Zealand's Winston Peters accused the blockers of following 'outside partners' wishes'; the matter is deferred to the Palau leaders' summit, August 30 to September 4

Canberra sealed a bilateral defence alliance with Fiji on July 6 and the next day agreed with Solomon Islands to accelerate treaty negotiations; both moves came within 24 hours of China's SLBM test in the South Pacific, which Australia and Solomon Islands both condemned