Pacific island leaders arrived in Fiji on Thursday for a two-day meeting to formalise the return of Kiribati to the 18-member regional bloc, amid tensions between China and the United States in the strategically located region.
The meeting will also discuss Japan's plan to release treated water from the destroyed Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea, which some Pacific islands fear could contaminate fish stocks but Tokyo has said does not pose a risk, an agenda showed.
Kiribati split from the Pacific Islands Forum on the eve of its last meeting in July, fuelling concern the atoll nation with vast fishing grounds located 3,000 kms (1,860 miles) southwest of Hawaii, had become isolated after forming diplomatic ties with Beijing.
