Luxon Vows to Strengthen Pacific Forum | Auckland News

Auckland News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Sep 2, 2026 · 1m

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is rallying behind the Pacific Islands Forum, insisting it can still be the region’s central hub for diplomacy and development—even with key leaders absent and no unified statement on China’s missile test. He dismisses concerns over diminished influence, comparing the forum’s potential to ASEAN’s success in Southeast Asia, and stresses that new U.S. port deals aren’t aimed at Beijing. Alongside Foreign Minister Winston Peters, who notes bilateral deals don’t weaken collective efforts, Luxon envisions the forum as the go-to platform for global partners to…