ALL 17 Pacific Island Form leaders will attend their meeting in Solomon Islands. Despite earlier indications of a possible boycott by some leaders, local organizing committee chair, Dr Jimmie Rodgers, said confirmations of attendance had been received. Last month, Solomons Prime Minister Jeremah Manele excluded Taiwan from the talks, and this led to a diplomatic pushback from Taiwan’s allies in the region along with a number of other countries. Many leaders believed Manele was forced by China to exclude Taiwan in a move labelled as interference by New Zealand’s Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters. Manele then removed the United States, China, and all donor partners from the invitation list. The 54th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting will run from September 8-12 in Honiara, with the Leaders’ Retreat to be held in Noro, Western Province. Australia and China have donated vehicles to assist the event. Australia provided 61 police-fitted vehicles to support security operations, while China donated 27 VIP vehicles to be used by Pacific leaders.