U.S. Coast Guard vessel, the Oliver Henry, was greeted with silence when it requested permission for a scheduled port call in the Solomon Islands, forcing the crew to Papua New Guinea instead. The incident comes amid mounting concerns about the influence of the Chinese Communist Party in the region and the ongoing weakening of democratic…
US Coast Guard Vessel Denied Port Call in Solomon Islands
Australian Prime Minister Promises to Reveal Darwin Port Review
The Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has promised the government will publically release their review of Darwin Harbour’s 99-year lease to a Chinese company with direct ties to the Chinese Communist Party. Darwin Port, an important gateway and strategic resource hub for Australia, was leased to Chinese-owned Landbridge in 2015 for 99 years at a…
Solomon Islands Strikes Deal to Build 161 Huawei Towers With $66 Million Chinese Loan
The Solomon Islands government has agreed to a 448.9 million yuan (US$66.15 million) loan from the Chinese state-owned Export-Import Bank of China to fund the construction of 161 towers by controversial telecommunications giant Huawei. In response, defence expert Michael Shoebridge has warned that Beijing is “moving fast and in a broad way” in the South…
Solomons PM Claims Election Delay a ‘One-Off’
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has assured Australian Pacific Minister Pat Conroy that his attempt to delay the country’s next election will be a “one-off.” The move comes after experts warned that Sogavare—who has cultivated deep ties with Beijing—could be emboldened to tighten control over the Pacific nation, a key goal of the Chinese…
‘It’s Happening’: Solomons PM Attempts to Delay Election Amid Beijing Influence
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has moved to delay elections citing the build-up to the Pacific Games in November 2023 as a reason. The move comes after South Pacific expert Cleo Paskal warned in March that Sogavare—who has cultivated deep ties with Beijing—could be emboldened to tighten control over the Pacific nation, a key…
Mourn and Grow Together: Dignitaries Commemorate 80th Anniversary of the Pacific Battle of Guadalcanal
Top diplomats have gathered in Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the bloody Battle of Guadalcanal (Aug. 7, 1942 to Feb. 9, 1943)—considered a turning point during the Second World War for the Allied forces. Among the attendees was Wendy Sherman, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, Caroline Kennedy,…
Vanuatu takes Pro-China Stance Calling Taiwan an ‘Inalienable Part of China’
The government of Pacific nation Vanuatu has thrown its support behind the One China policy following U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan. The overt declaration comes amid ongoing concerns of Beijing’s strong influence in the South Pacific and the threat of conflict around the Taiwan Strait. On Aug. 5, Silas Bule, the acting…
Vanuatu Takes Pro-Beijing Stance Calling Taiwan an ‘Inalienable Part of China’
The government of Pacific nation Vanuatu has thrown its support behind the One China policy following U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan. The overt declaration comes amid ongoing concerns of Beijing’s strong influence in the South Pacific and the threat of conflict around the Taiwan Strait. On Aug. 5, Silas Bule, the acting…
US to Deepen Military Ties with New Zealand Amid Beijing Influence Concerns
The commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, U.S. Admiral John Aquilino, made an official visit to New Zealand on Aug. 1 to expand the partnership between the two countries as tensions in the region grow following Beijing’s intentions. “Our partnership runs very deep. We are doing many things together to continue to ensure peace and…
Solomons PM Forces National Broadcaster to Censor Content That ‘Creates Disunity’
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has ordered the national broadcaster of the Solomon Islands to cease broadcasting content critical of his government. The move crystallises ongoing warnings that corrupt Pacific leaders will—with the backing of Beijing—steadily erode their country’s democratic institutions in a bid to stay in power. According to the Island Sun newspaper, the acting…
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