Photo: AFP
The Chinese President Xi Jinping is offering to host a meeting with Pacific leaders in Port Moresby ahead of the APEC leaders summit in November.
The invitation was conveyed by Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill when he addressed Fiji's Parliament in Suva today.
The Pacnews Agency reported Mr O'Neill said only Pacific nations with diplomatic relations with China have been invited.
Tuvalu, Palau, the Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands, Nauru and Kiribati are supporters of Taiwan.
Mr O'Neill hadalso invited Pacific leaders to Port Moresby for the APEC leaders' summit, which has the theme, "Harnessing Inclusive Opportunities, Embracing the Digital Future"
He said PNG wants the Pacific to actively participate in this forum and to highlight its issues to Asian leaders and to benefit from opportunities in Asia markets.