The security agreement signed between Beijing and the archipelago authorizes the presence of Chinese police and military on-site.
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This is a major setback for Australia and the United States. China said Tuesday, April 19, having signed a security cooperation framework agreement with the Solomon Islands, an archipelago of 700,000 inhabitants located about 1,500 kilometers north-east of Australia. The agreement was signed by the Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Wang Yi, and his Solomonian counterpart, Jeremiah Manele.
The spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Wang Wenbin, did not indicate or when this agreement had been concluded, but the announcement was made a few hours before a high-level American delegation sent by The White House is flying for this Melanesia archipelago to share Washington’s concerns. For its part, the Prime Minister of Solomon Islands, Manasseh Sogavare, said Wednesday, April 20 that the agreement had been signed “eyes open” but refused to indicate when the content would be made public.
The Reuters agency had revealed in March the content of the letter of intent signed by the Minister of the Solomon Islands Police, Anthony Veke, and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Xiaohong, Deputy Minister of Public Safety. It provides that the Solomon Islands, which occupy a central place on the front line between the United States and China in the ocean region, “will be able, according to their needs, to ask China to send policemen, soldiers and Other armed forces, to maintain the social order, protect the lives of people and their properties, provide humanitarian aid, or any other form of assistance. ” For its part, China, “according to its own needs, may proceed with visits with its boats, to bring logistical replenishment, conduct stops and transits. Suitable Chinese forces can be used to protect the safety of workers and Main Chinese projects in the Solomon Islands “.
” A disturbing precedent “
In November 2021, riots had shook the archipelago, opposing the inhabitants of the main island of Guadalcanal to those of Malaita, whose populations maintain ancient rivalries. Manasseh Sogavar had asserted that the protesters who protested against the deterioration of their living conditions were manipulated by those who oppose his decision, taken in 2019, to no longer maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan. For the benefit of Beijing. More than 200 soldiers and gendarmes from Australia, Fiji and Papua New Guinea had then been deployed in the archipelago to bring the order back.
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