Leaders from across the Pacific are meeting in Palau for an important summit. But the gathering is being overshadowed by a disagreement over Taiwan.

Taiwan sent representatives to the event, which did not sit well with China. China views Taiwan as part of its own territory and generally objects when other countries or groups treat Taiwan like an independent nation. Because of this, Beijing has warned that there will be 'consequences' for the organizers allowing Taiwan to attend.

This tension comes at a difficult time. The chair of the meeting has asked the group of Pacific nations to stand together, especially following recent news about a Chinese missile test. The leader wants the region to present a united front to keep things stable.

Meanwhile, the summit itself is seeing some lower attendance. Several top leaders are missing the event in Palau for various reasons, making it harder for the group to reach major decisions.

China has been very vocal about its anger regarding the situation. Beijing has made it clear that they are watching closely and are unhappy that Taiwan was given a seat at the table. For now, the Pacific leaders are trying to move forward with their agenda despite the pressure from Beijing.

Source: sg.news.yahoo.com