China's Pacific missile test looms over Forum ministers' meeting in Suva

China fired a nuclear-capable ballistic missile with a dummy warhead into Pacific waters protected as nuclear-free under the Treaty of Rarotonga, giving only hours' notice. Foreign ministers from 18 Pacific Islands Forum states, including New Zealand's Winston Peters, meet in Suva on 7 August 2026. Otago University's Robert Patman said a unified response may be hard given members' varied ties with Beijing. China is itself a Forum partner and gave the secretariat over USD $1 million in June.