Recently, with the changes in the political situation in Solomon Islands, the relationship between this Pacific island country and China and Australia has attracted increasing attention.
According to Australian media outlet The Sydney Herald's report on June 22, Australian Prime Minister Albanes will undertake intensive Pacific diplomacy activities in July. This includes a visit to the Solomon Islands to promote negotiations on a new comprehensive treaty, as well as finalizing agreements with Fiji and Vanuatu.
The new Prime Minister of Solomon Islands, Matthew Wale, promised during his visit to the Australian capital Canberra this month that he would re-examine the security agreements previously reached with China. He also stated that after years of tensions and mistrust, there is a need to “restart” relations with Australia.
Solomon Islands National Planning and Development Coordinator Minister Peter Kenilorea Junior even stated that, given the growing relations between the country and China under previous governments, the new government is seeking to rebalance its relations with various development partners.
When asked whether he hoped to see China's role in policing and security matters in the Solomon Islands diminishing, Kenilore told The Sydney Herald, "We would like to focus more on economic development." He also said, "In my opinion, matters related to security seem to be too significant for a small country like the Solomon Islands. Therefore, I would certainly emphasize the economic development aspects of China's involvement more."
Solomon Islands National Planning and Development Coordination Minister, Mr. Peter Kenilorea
Albanesius government insists that security and police cooperation among Pacific nations should be limited to other Pacific island nations, including Australia.
On March 30, 2022, after negotiation between the two parties and approval from the governments of both countries, the parties signed a preliminary agreement on the framework for security cooperation in the region. However, countries such as the United States and Australia have long exaggerated and hyped this cooperation document. There are even concerns in Canberra that China might seek to establish military bases in the Pacific region near the coastlines of Australia.
Australian officials have also claimed that Australia is engaged in a "diplomatic tug-of-war" with China in the Pacific region.
It is worth mentioning that Keniloleria also expressed concerns about security cooperation with China last year. As the son of the first Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands after independence, he is a member of the notorious anti-China organization 'International Parliaments Against China (IPAC)'. This organization has repeatedly passed resolutions criticizing China's internal affairs and has received funding from the Taiwanese authorities, continuing to spread false information about China.
Now, Kenilolrea said that he believes relations between Solomon Islands and Australia will be “very positive” under the new government of Solomon Islands, and he urged the two countries to reach a new treaty “as soon as possible”.
"We are working on the reset or rebalancing scheme for the relationship that we proposed during Prime Minister Wil's first visit to Australia. We have received good feedback domestically," he said. "I believe that our next step is to announce this comprehensive treaty… the end of the year would be a suitable time frame. The next six months are an ideal timeframe for implementing the agreement."
Kennolreia said that he expects the treaty to cover aspects related to deepening security relations, and to provide more opportunities for Solomon Islanders to live and work in Australia.
The Sydney Herald also stated that if such an agreement can be reached, the new Australia-Solomon Islands treaty would be another arrangement made by the Australian Labor Party government since it took power again in 2022, following agreements signed with Tuvalu, Nauru, and Papua New Guinea.
Previously, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Will promised to disclose the details of the security agreement signed with China in 2022. However, earlier this month, he stated that due to confidentiality clauses included in the agreement, he was unable to make the details public.
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Will and Australian Prime Minister Albenes - Photo
According to reports, Keniloreya is widely regarded as a strong candidate for the Prime Minister of Solomon Islands in the future. He is also a staunch “anti-China hawk,” having previously called for the abolition of the security agreement with China and accused China of trying to influence Solomon Island political figures.
Especially during the elections in the Solomon Islands in 2024, he also claimed that if he became the next Prime Minister, he would abolish the security agreements with China and seek to rebuild relations with Taiwan.
Regarding this, Lin Jian, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that China has always adhered to the principle of non-interference in internal affairs and supports the Solomon Islands people in choosing a development path that suits their national conditions. Adhering to the principle of one China is in accordance with international justice, the will of the people, and the trend of history. It also serves as the political foundation for Sino-Solomon relations. China and the Solomon Islands are comprehensive strategic partners who respect each other and develop together in the new era. Promoting the healthy and stable development of Sino-Solomon relations is in line with the common interests of both sides.
Besides Kenilorea, another "pro-China hawk" in the Wil government is Rick Houenipwela, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Solomon Islands. Houenipwela served as Prime Minister of Solomon Islands from 2017 to 2019. On the eve of Solomon Islands severing its so-called "diplomatic relations" with the Taiwanese authorities and establishing diplomatic relations with China in 2019, he openly opposed this policy change.
It is worth noting that Will had previously expressed opposition to the signed security cooperation framework agreement. However, before the elections, his stance softened, stating that he did not want to break the agreement, as it would lead to “unnecessary problems”. Will said at the time: “China is Solomon Islands’ main export partner, and there is significant investment in infrastructure on the island. Of course, this includes the security agreements between the two sides.”
On June 3, Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, mentioned this security agreement, stating that China and the Solomon Islands are comprehensive strategic partners who respect each other and develop together in the new era. We are willing to expand practical cooperation with the new government of the Solomon Islands in various fields, so as to better benefit the people of both countries.
China has repeatedly emphasized that the security cooperation framework agreement signed with the Pacific Island countries is a cooperation between sovereign states. It aims to assist the Pacific Island countries in improving their law enforcement capabilities, support them in maintaining public order more effectively, and at the same time protect the safety of Chinese citizens and institutions in those countries. This is reasonable and lawful, and everything operates under the light of the law. Pacific Island countries are all sovereign independent states; they are not the 'backyards' of anyone. They have the right to make their own choices, rather than becoming vassals of others.
