China and Solomon Islands sign diplomatic agreements, including police cooperation deal

China and Solomon Islands have signed a new deal on police cooperation, deepening their bilateral partnership four years after the Pacific island nation cut ties with Taiwan and formally established relations with Beijing.

The "implementation plan" on policing, which will run until the end of 2025, was one of nine documents signed on Monday following talks between visiting Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare and Chinese Premier Li Qiang at Beijing's Great Hall of the People.

Mr Li said that the development of China-Solomon Islands relations over the past four years had been "very fruitful".

Solomon Islands' decision to switch its diplomatic recognition to Beijing was "the correct choice that conforms to the trend of the times," he added.

Mr Sogavare, in turn, told Mr Li his country "has a lot to learn from China's development experience".

Also signed between the two countries was an agreement on a "Sports Technical Assistance Project" for this year's Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands capital Honiara, for which Beijing has committed to building the host stadium.

Mr Sogavare was expected to be in China until Saturday, and will officially open his country's Beijing embassy as well as visit the economic powerhouse provinces of Jiangsu and Guangdong.

In 2019, China and the Solomon Islands officially established diplomatic relations after Beijing persuaded the developing Pacific nation to sever ties with self-ruled Taiwan, whose territory China claims.

Talks continue with Australia

The announcement came as Australia tries to reinforce its position as Solomon Islands' main security partner, in the face of China's bid for influence.

Last week, Defence Minister Richard Marles confirmed that Australia is pushing to keep a security presence in Solomon Islands beyond the 2023 deadline agreed by both countries last year.

Mr Marles said he was "excited" for the chance to review the security pact and announced a $25 million assistance package for Solomon Islands' elections next year.

In a statement, Mr Sogavare said discussions were ongoing, but he "conveyed the country's appreciation to Australia's on-going support in the area of security" during his meeting with Mr Marles. He welcomed the commitment of election funding.

Mr Sogavare's tone shifted away from the rising tensions of last year, when he said Australia was too slow to respond to civil unrest in the Solomon Islands, failed to protect Chinese government projects, and attempted to use funding to influence the country's elections.

Australian government sources told the ABC they did not believe Mr Sogavare was going to use the review to weaken the security relations between the two countries.

China–US compete for Pacific influence

Meanwhile mounting geopolitical rivalry between China and the United States has brought the two powers to loggerheads in the region.

Their jockeying for influence has been a boon to Pacific governments, with aid, loans and construction project windfalls flowing into their coffers to the tune of tens of millions of dollars.

Instead of taking sides between Washington and Beijing, most are welcoming all comers and the new diplomatic and economic capital they bring.

"It is not in the interest of our people and country to take sides and align ourselves with interests that are not our interests," Mr Sogavare said at an independence anniversary event on Saturday.

In the face of its rivalry with China, Washington in February reopened its mission in the Solomon Islands after a 30-year hiatus.

China has also won influence, striking a secretive security deal with the Solomons that allows Beijing's forces to deploy on the islands.

Mr Sogavare's visit will likely fuel concerns Solomon Islands is drifting closer into China's orbit.

By AFP/ABC

Original article link: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-10/china-solomon-islands-ink-police-cooperation-deal/102585150