Beijing's threat of "consequences" over Taiwan's role at the Pacific Islands Forum marks another squeeze on Taiwan's few remaining diplomatic footholds — bad for Taipei, and a test for the small Pacific states caught in the middle.

• China's top diplomat for Pacific affairs warned that Taiwan's high-profile presence at the leaders' summit will "have consequences."
• Taiwan's foreign minister Lin Chia-lung is in Palau through early September for the 55th forum, and says Taiwan will keep standing with its Pacific partners.
• Palau, one of Taiwan's last formal allies, hosted the summit and pushed a message of unity that Taipei has seized on.
• The Pacific has become a live contest for influence, with Beijing spending heavily to peel small island states away from Taiwan.

Outlook: Expect more Chinese pressure on individual island governments in the coming weeks, aimed at shrinking Taiwan's seat at future regional meetings.