Wellington [New Zealand], August 31: New Zealand has decided to tip both for the Pacific Policing Initiative and the Pacific Resilience Facility.
Chris Luxon wrapped up his first Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders Meeting as New Zealand's prime minister on Friday, spending an afternoon visiting aid projects in Tonga.
The Kiwi leader was mobbed by primary school students at a school just south of Nuku'alofa, and took in a watermelon farm, getting back to basics after two days of high-level talks.
It was also his first experience of the leaders retreat, a diplomatic experience unique to PIF which puts the 18 leaders together in an all-day dialogue without advisers.
"My takeaway is that the centrality of PIF is getting stronger and stronger," he said.
"The voice of PIF into global forum, I think, have been much more enhanced."
One of PIF's key objectives in recent years has been securing climate finance to help the region adapt to likely effects of global warming in coming decades: sea level rise, more flooding and worsening storms.
It was surprising that in the final communique, New Zealand was missing from a list of donors to the Pacific Resilience Facility, PIF's climate finance organisation to be based in Tonga.
Australia has pledged $100 million, Saudi Arabia $US50 million ($73 million), the United States $US5 million ($7 million) and China $US500,000 ($735,000).
Mr Luxon said New Zealand was supportive but wanted to see the fine print.
"We also want to see just some clarity around legal obligations, the governance of that fund, how will work in practice," he said.
"It needs to be well-run, well managed, clearly governed . that shouldn't be read as code for not supporting it."
Mr Luxon also said New Zealand stood solidly behind the Pacific Policing Initiative (PPI) championed by Anthony Albanese, despite scuttlebutt in Nuku'alofa that some in Wellington had reservations.
"100 per cent, we're all in (and) we'll be contributing to it," Mr Luxon said.
"Transnational crime, trafficking of people, narcotics, all of those issues affect us all . it's actually a Pacific challenge, and it needs a Pacific solution."
The PPI has been criticised by some in Melanesia as an attempt by the US-allied Australia to elbow out China from a role in Pacific policing and security.
In backing the PPI, Mr Luxon continued his government's enthusiasm to align with Australia in the region.
On a visit to Canberra this month, Mr Luxon said he wanted New Zealand defence to be a "force multiplier for Australia".
Mr Luxon continued his praise on Friday, saying "Australia has done a stand up job here at PIF, they really have".
"They flew us over there to the isle (of Vava'u) for the leaders retreat, flew us back again, and Australia's doing a fantastic job in the region as well."
Whereas previous governments in Wellington have made much of New Zealand's "independent" foreign policy - which is code for straddling the divide between Beijing and Washington - Mr Luxon fell in with the US on another issue.
He made it plain that New Zealand supported the continuing policy of inviting Taiwan to PIF summits, against the wishes of China.
Mr Luxon warned next year's host, Solomon Islands, not to exclude the island nation from deliberations.
"That'll be a decision that needs to be respectful," he said.
"As a host of PIF you may have an individual position that's different, but you need to reflect the views of the Pacific Islands Forum and all the leaders that are there."
PIF has three members who continue to recognise Taiwan - Palau, Marshall Islands and Tuvalu - while three more - Solomon Islands and Kiribati (2019), and Nauru (2024) - switched recognition to China in recent years.
Source: Fijian Broadcasting Corporation
