Washington has publicly called Taiwan a reliable partner and endorsed its continued role at the Pacific Islands Forum, a diplomatic win for Taipei as China pushes to shut it out.

• Taiwan's foreign minister is leading a delegation to Palau for the Pacific Islands Forum summit, running from late August into early September.
• The US State Department said it strongly supports Taiwan staying in the forum, calling it a reliable, democratic partner that has helped the region's economy for over 30 years.
• Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau is attending the summit and will also stop in Micronesia, the Solomon Islands and Kiribati.
• Last year's forum in the Solomon Islands ended with Taiwan and all major donor countries left off the guest list after pressure from Beijing.
• The Pacific has become a contest for influence, with Washington pushing back as China expands its reach among island states.

Outlook: Expect Beijing to keep pressing island governments to sideline Taiwan, while the US uses high-level visits to hold ground in the region.