After a run of barnstorming diplomacy in Palau, Taiwan has signalled its desire to continue attending Pacific Islands Forum summits.

However, it is not yet clear whether the 2027 host New Zealand will allow leaders from the Asian super-economy to attend, with Prime Minister Chris Luxon non-committal on the prospect.

Taiwan Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung - whose presence in Palau left China fuming - said a 1992 decision to make his country a "development partner" gave him the right to attend.

"Following a long-term tradition, either Taiwan's foreign minister or deputy foreign minister will attend the PIF," he said.

"This is something we should celebrate. We should not let this occasion become an excuse for one particular country who wants to impose their own position."

Palau is one of 12 nations which continues to recognise Taiwan rather than China.

NZ has a strong relationship with Taiwan too, but at an economic level, even signing a free trade pact in 2013 under John Key's government.

However, engaging with Taiwan comes at a cost: possible repercussions from China.

In 2025, a group of Kiwi MPs were banned from visiting China after they undertook a parliamentary exchange and visited Taiwan.

Mr Lin said said Australian MPs did not suffer a similar ban as "China likes to pick on easy targets".

"We need to show China there is a bottom line ... and to follow the rules-based international order."

Speaking to NZ journalists in Palau on Thursday, Mr Luxon said he would "go back to our normal protocols" regarding a visit from Taiwan leadership.

He would not say whether that would extend to ministerial-level representaton, and that would "be worked through next year".

Foreign Minister Winston Peters is supportive of the move, having urged Palau to reinvite external partners to this year's summit, and committing to host them again next year.

External powers are labellled dialogue partners by PIF, which is currently reconsidering whether to categorise them in tiers, where major countries would enjoy better access.

It is not, according to Austalian and NZ officials, reopening the question of Taiwan's development partner status, believing it settled as per the original 1992 agreement.

Dialogue partners were not invited to the 2025 summit in Honiara.

Influential Solomon Islands statesman Transform Aqorua said that should become the norm at future leaders meetings, believing they have become too large and unwieldy.

Solomon Islands is right: decouple the Forum Leaders' Summit from the Donor Dialogue. Pacific Leaders need space to meet each other—not spend their Summit in endless bilaterals with putsiders. Let Pacific Leaders have their Pacific Summit.

— Transform Aqorau (@AqorauTransform) September 2, 2026

Papua New Guinea Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko told The Australian that Taiwan's presence was taking away from the main purposes of the summit.

However, Palau President Surangel Whipps pushed back against this view, calling it "disappointing".

"The bottom line is that Taiwan is a partner, and so is China," he said.

'What we are doing here in Palau is respecting the partners, and they're all invited to come."

Australian Associated Press