Tag: South Pacific

Beijing Foreign Ministry Confirms Security Pact With Solomon Islands ‘Officially Signed’

Beijing’s Foreign Ministry has confirmed a contentious security pact that will pave the way for Chinese troops and weapons to be stationed in the South Pacific has been officially signed with the Solomon Islands’ leadership. The comments from Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin has sparked finger-pointing in Australian political circles over the success—and failures—of…


Beijing Could Become ‘Owner and Minder’ of Solomon Islands: US Senators Warn

U.S. senators are warning that Beijing could become the “owner and minder” of the Solomon Islands if a controversial security pact is implemented. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), chairman of the U.S. Foreign Relations Committee, is visiting Australia, along with five Republican senators and congressman, because it was the “epicentre of the global challenge” involving the…


Australia Calls on Solomon Islands to Dump Security Deal with Beijing

The Australian government has “respectfully” asked Solomon Islands leaders not to sign a contentious security agreement with Beijing that could open the door for troops and naval ships to be stationed in the region. The deal, which was “initialled” on March 31 between Chinese Ambassador Li Ming, and Solomons’ Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of…


Australian Minister Makes Urgent Dash to Solomons Over Chinese Security Deal

Australia’s pacific minister has briefly dropped election campaigning to fly to the Solomon Islands amid anxiety over an impending security deal with the Beijing regime and the recent leak of a Chinese request to import arms into the region. Minister Zed Seselja is due for talks with Solomon Islands officials on April 13 in the…


Beijing Wanted to Send Secret Security Force to Solomons During Riots Last Year: Report

Beijing was ready to send heavy weaponry and security personnel to the Chinese Embassy in the Solomon Islands last December to enhance “safety and security” following violent riots in the capital Honiara, which saw the Chinatown district razed. The letter from the Chinese diplomatic outpost to the Solomon Islands Ministry of Foreign Affairs reveals that…


Leaked Documents Reveal Beijing Intends to Militarize Solomon Islands

An official document has been leaked revealing that Beijing has every intention of establishing a military presence in the Solomon Islands, despite denials from the Chinese Foreign Ministry who called such concerns “groundless and ill-intentioned” on April 1. The leaked letter of intent from Avic International Project Engineering Company, a Beijing-based state-owned aviation company, was…


Beijing Exploits ‘Chip on the Shoulder’ Politics to Win Over Solomons

Commentary China’s dream of becoming a naval power has been boosted by the “initialling” of a Beijing-Solomons security deal. Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative scheme has long been entangled with a parallel plan to create a Chinese blue-water navy capable of projecting its power across the globe. Although China’s navy is still not in the…


‘Echoes of South China Sea’: Expert Calls on Pacific Nations to Stop Chinese Military Deal

Pacific nations should pressure the Solomon Islands’ government to step away from an impending deal with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), warning it could result in the region’s militarisation and a ratcheting of tensions, according to a defence expert. The deal, which surprised officials last week, was revealed after it began circulating online on March 24 and…


We Warned Australia of Chinese Military Deal: Solomons’ Opposition Leader

Matthew Wale, the prominent opposition party leader in the Solomon Islands, claims to have warned Australian officials last year that Beijing and the Sogavare government were working on a military deal that would allow the People’s Liberation Army to base assets in the region. The deal, which surprised officials last week, was revealed after it…


Beijing Military Deal Could Spur Solomons’ PM To Tighten Hold Over Country: Expert

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare could engineer a “false flag” event to tighten control over the Solomon Islands after his government entered a secret security deal with Beijing that could pave the way for Chinese troops to be stationed on the Island, according to a South Pacific expert. The agreement, if carried through, would establish a…