Australia, China seek deeper ties with Solomon Islands

SYDNEY - Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Canberra wanted deeper ties with its Pacific neighbour Solomon Islands and a region where decisions are made “without fear”, as China also sent its envoy to Honiara to meet new Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele.

Australia is the Solomon Islands’ biggest development partner, and has sent its second- and third-most senior government members to meet Mr Manele since

he was elected in May

because it wanted to deepen ties, Ms Wong said in Honiara on June 6.

“We want a Pacific Islands region where all of us can make our own decisions, can exercise our sovereignty without fear, and where we can all grow and live together peacefully,” she told reporters on a two-day visit, also pledging US$3.4 million (S$4.6 million) for infrastructure for 40 schools.

Mr Manele had told Australia’s Defence Minister Richard Marles, who visited in May, that his government was undertaking a security review to determine the future of policing cooperation.

Australia provided

policing support for national elections

in April. China also has a policing presence on the archipelago, strategically located 1,600km north-east of Australia.

A security pact struck with China in 2022, by the previous pro-Beijing leader Manasseh Sogavare, alarmed Canberra and Washington amid concern over China’s naval ambitions in the region.

China’s visiting Pacific Islands envoy Qian Bo also met Mr Manele on June 5, to reaffirm the “special relationship between the two countries”, the Solomon Islands government said in a statement.

China had provided infrastructure, policing, health, education, energy and agriculture support since the Solomon Islands switched diplomatic ties from Taiwan to Beijing in 2019, and Solomon Islands will “continue to enhance” ties, it said.

Two large delegations of Solomon Islands officials have travelled to China for training programmes since May, statements on the Chinese embassy’s website show. REUTERS