Kiribati’s pro-China president has said his nation “does not welcome” Beijing’s recent test firing of a ballistic missile in the Pacific, rare criticism from a staunch regional ally.
In a social media post, Taneti Maamau‘s office stated that the South Pacific nation was not warned about the firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in late September.
“Kiribati does not welcome China’s recent ICBM test, including other countries that had tested similar weapons in the recent past,” the statement said Sunday.
“The high seas in the Pacific are not isolated pockets of oceans… therefore we appeal to all countries involved in weapon testing to stop these acts to maintain world peace and stability.”
It was the first such weapons test by Beijing in four decades and sparked fierce criticism from around the South Pacific, where the dummy warhead splashed down.
But such a response from Kiribati was unexpected. Maamau ditched relations with Taiwan in 2019, betting that ties with Beijing would help Kiribati meet ambitious 2036 development goals.
He has since signed off on a policing deal that brought uniformed Chinese officers to the capital Tarawa.
The move provoked concern in the United States and among its allies, who were already wary of China’s diplomatic and military ambitions in the Pacific.
Some Western analysts allege that Chinese activities in Kiribati – from police deployments to studying a new runway on Kanton Island and extensive marine mapping – are a toehold for establishing a bigger security footprint.
China denies those allegations and its military has called the missile test “routine.”
Maamau was returned to parliament at a recent election and is the odds-on favorite to lead the next government.