US Officials Go to Solomon Islands Worried About China Pact

WELLINGTON, New Zealand – The US is sending two top officials to Solomon Islands after a visit last week by an Australian senator out of concern that China could establish a military presence in the South Pacific island nation.

The White House said on Monday that later this week, Kurt Campbell, Indo-Pacific National Security Council coordinator, and Daniel Kritenbrink, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs , will lead a delegation of US government officials to Solomonsand will also visit Fiji and Papua New Guinea.

In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin on Tuesday said Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Solomon Islands counterpart, Jeremiah Manele, had officially signed a security agreement “on one day” that”. No specific date has been given.

A draft of the treaty, leaked online, said Chinese warships could stop in the Solomon Islands and China could send police and armed forces there “to assist in maintaining order.” social self”.

Wang told reporters at a daily news conference that the agreement included “maintaining social order”, along with protecting life and property, providing humanitarian assistance and responding to disasters. .

“We are committed to helping the Solomon Islands strengthen capacity building to maintain national security,” said Wang. He said the agreement did not seek to replace the South Pacific nation’s security relationship with other nations.

The Solomon Islands have sought to downplay the deal, saying it will not lead to China setting up a military base there, but many neighbors and Western nations remain concerned.

State Department spokesman Ned Price said the agreement could destabilize the Solomon Islands and would set a relevant precedent for the broader Pacific region.

“Despite the Solomon Islands government’s comments, the broad nature of the security agreement still leaves the door open for the deployment of military forces by the People’s Republic of China (PRC),” said Price. ) to the Solomon Islands.

The trip to the US follows a visit to the Solomon Islands last week by Australian Senator Zed Seselja, Minister for International Development and the Pacific.

Seselja said he met with Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare and asked him to abandon the deal with China.

Seselja said in a statement: “We have asked the Solomon Islands to consider not signing the agreement and consult with the Pacific family in the spirit of openness and transparency of the region, in line with the region. consistent with the security frameworks of the region,” Seselja said in a statement.

The Solomon Islands described the meeting in a more positive light, saying Sogavare and Seselja held productive discussions about the security concerns of the Solomon Islands and the broader Pacific region.

Last week, US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman spoke with Solomon Islands Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele about Washington’s plan to reopen its embassy in the capital, Honiara.

The announcement of the reopening of the embassy, ​​which has been closed since 1993, was made in February before the security pact came to light, but amid growing concerns about the influence of China in this strategically important country.

at Blogtuan.info – Source: nbcnews.com – Read the original article here