Kiribati President Anote Tong called for Fiji's reinstatement to the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), breaking ranks with the regional grouping's official stance on the military regime.

As the 16-nation grouping's annual summit formally opened in Auckland, Tong on Wednesday said he disagreed with the decision to expel Fiji for failing to hold democratic elections after a 2006 coup.

"Our position has always been very clear, we don't condone what's happened but we disagree on how to deal with it," Tong told reporters.

"We've always taken the position that we should continue to engage (with Fiji)."

Since taking power, Fiji's military leader Voreqe Bainimarama has suspended the constitution, sacked the judiciary, muzzled the media and been accused of human rights abuses.

New Zealand and Australia successfully pushed for Fiji's expulsion from the PIF in 2009.

But Tong said Fiji remained part of the Pacific family and its people should not be punished for the actions of Bainimarama's regime.

"If you have six children and one is a bad young boy, what do you do with him, kick him out?" the Kiribati leader said.

"You don't, you never do, because we're a family and we must act like a family. Fiji is part of this family and our task is to continue to bring Fiji back, as you would any child."

Asked if he believed other PIF states shared his view on lifting the Fiji ban, Tong replied: "Yes I do, but they won't say."