China “guarantees the security” of the Solomon Islands and imposes itself in the Pacific Ocean

This is a major setback for Australia and the United States. China said on Tuesday (April 19) that it had signed a framework security cooperation agreement with the Solomon Islands, an archipelago of 700,000 people located 1,500 kilometers northeast of Australia. The agreement was signed by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Solomon Islands counterpart Jeremiah Manele.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin did not say where and when the deal was struck, but the announcement was made hours before a high-ranking US delegation sent by the White House to this Melanesia archipelago to share Washington’s concerns would not travel. For his part, the Solomon Islands’ Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavari, indicated on Wednesday 20 April that the agreement had been signed. ” open your eyes “ But he declined to say when the contents would be published.

In March, Reuters revealed the contents of the letter of intent signed by Solomon Islands Police Minister Anthony Weike and his Chinese counterpart Wang Xiaohong, deputy minister of public security. It states that the Solomon Islands, which occupies a central position on the front line between the United States and China in the ocean region, “They may, depending on their needs, ask China to send police, Military and other armed forces, for the maintenance of social order, the protection of human life and property, and the rendering of humanitarian assistance, or any other form of assistance.” On the other hand, China “According to its own needs, it can make visits by its boats, to provide logistic resupply, make stops and transit. Appropriate Chinese forces can be used to protect the safety of workers and major Chinese projects In the Solomon Islands ».

‘disturbing precedent’

In November 2021, riots rocked the archipelago, opposing the inhabitants of the main island of Guadalcanal, and the inhabitants of Malaita, whose inhabitants maintain old rivalries. Manasseh Sogavari had claimed that protesters protesting against their deteriorating living conditions were manipulated by those opposing his decision, made in 2019, not to maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan, in favor of Beijing. More than 200 soldiers and gendarmes from Australia, Fiji and Papua New Guinea were subsequently deployed to the archipelago to restore order.

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