Pacific island states and Japan on Thursday said in a joint statement they "expressed strong opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by the threat or use of force or coercion", in a veiled reference to China. Such phrasing is often used by the United States and its allies to refer to Beijing's growing influence and military capacity in the Asia-Pacific. "The environment surrounding us has changed a lot since the first PALM summit was held, and we are facing complicated challenges," Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES