Australia urges Solomon Islands not to sign treaty with China
The Australian minister met with the Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands, asking the country not to sign a security agreement with China because of concerns about Beijing’s increased presence in the region.
“We respectfully request that the Solomon Islands consider not signing the agreement and consult with the Pacific community in the spirit of openness and transparency, consistent with the security frameworks of the region,” the ministry said. Head of International and Pacific Development Australia Zed Seselja said on April 13 after talks with Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare and other officials.
Australia fears the security agreement between the Solomon Islands and China, with details yet to be released, could be a step forward that would allow China to have a military presence less than 2,000 kilometers from Australia.
Officials China and the Solomon Islands on March 31 initialed the terms of the security agreement, which is waiting to be signed by the foreign ministers of the two countries.
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare (left) and Australia’s Minister for International Development and the Pacific Zed Seselja (right) at a meeting in the capital Honiara on April 13. Image: Reuters.
China’s foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian on April 13 affirmed that security cooperation between China and the Solomon Islands is not aimed at any third parties and does not contradict the cooperation of the island nation of Thailand. Binh Duong with other countries.
“Australia should respect China’s sovereign and independent choices with the Solomon Islands, and not incite confrontation,” Zhao said.
Under the draft security agreement revealed in March, Chinese ships will be allowed to conduct logistics, stopover and transit activities in the Solomon Islands. China could also deploy “appropriate forces”, including armed police and the military, to protect its personnel and projects in the Solomon Islands.
The agreement also states that the Solomon Islands can require China to deploy its armed police, soldiers, armed forces and law enforcement forces to the Pacific island nation to carry out humanitarian missions. religion or security. Without the other party’s written consent, neither party will be allowed to disclose these duties.
Location of Solomon Islands (in orange box) and Australia. Graphics: Britanica.
The United States and Australia have long been concerned about China’s ability to build a naval base in the South Pacific that would allow its navy to project power far beyond its borders. Any Chinese military presence in the Pacific could force Australia and the US to change their military posture in the region.
The security cooperation agreement between China and the Solomon Islands was negotiated in the context of increasing bilateral relations.
The Solomon Islands announced it was cutting ties with the island of Taiwan following a meeting between Prime Minister Sogavare and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. China is also the largest trading partner of the Solomon Islands and exempts 97 percent of the goods from the archipelago from duty.
The country of 800,000 people, about 2,000 kilometers northeast of Australia, suffers from political and social unrest, many of whom live in poverty. In November 2021, protesters tried to storm the Solomon Islands parliament and rioted for three days, setting fire to many Chinatowns in the capital, Honiara.
More than 200 peacekeepers from Australia, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand were deployed to restore social order after the riots and ensure Mr Sogavare was not removed from office.
Nguyen Tien (According to Reuters)
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