A joint declaration by Pacific leaders was reissued Saturday morning with mentions of Taiwan removed after China slammed an earlier version as a "mistake" that "must be corrected."

After five days of talks in Tonga, a "cleared" communique was released Friday that reaffirmed a 30-year-old agreement allowing Taiwan to take part in the Pacific Islands Forum.

But the wording immediately raised the ire of Chinese diplomats, who piled pressure on Pacific leaders to amend the document.