Table of Contents
The News
Where is Solomon Islands?
Solomon islands
- Solomon Islands became an independent country from the UK in 1978.
- Later on in 1983 it established diplomatic relations with the Republic of China (Taiwan)..!!
- However, the People’s Republic of China (mainland) long maintained a diplomatic objective of trying to limit recognition of Taiwan’s government around the world and to get countries to end diplomatic relations with Taiwan in favour of having diplomatic relations with Beijing.
- Beijing eventually succeeded in Solomon in 2019 when Manasseh Sogavare was elected as prime minister and he followed a policy of changing diplomatic relations from Taipei to Beijing.
Solomon – China Security Deal
Solomon – China Security Deal
- A draft report of a possible security agreement between the Solomon Islands and China was revealed in Social media included allowing Chinese military to have personnel on the islands, in order to protect Chinese nationals and Chinese projects, as well as allowing Chinese warships to visit the islands for berthing and resupplying.
- Note: Authenticity of the document is yet to be verified but if it is authentic, it is deeply concerning for entire Indo Pacific region.
Solomon & Tension
- Solomon islands has seen decades of tensions between settlers from other islands (mainly from Malaita).
- Armed conflict erupted in 1998 which led to the Townsville Peace Agreement of 2000.
- Despite the pact, peace did not come because provisions of the agreement were not fully enacted. This led to continuing unrest.
- Australia-led peacekeepers were in the Solomon Islands from 2003 until 2017, as part of the Regional Assistance Mission of the Solomon Islands (RAMSI).
Solomon & Tension
- China-Solomon Islands security agreement comes only four months after peacekeepers from Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, and Papua New Guinea came to the assistance of the Solomon Islands again in late November 2021 following the urgent request of Sogavare.
- Days before, peaceful protests made up mostly of men from the island of Malaita were in the capital, Honiara, calling out what they saw as Sogavare’s punitive treatment of Malaita for maintaining a pro-Taiwan stance after Sogavare dramatically switched the national allegiance to China in September 2019.
Perfect ground for China..!!
- Solomon Islands’ history virtually guarantees the kind of civic disorder that could trigger Chinese boots on Solomon Islands ground.
- This scenario is made even more likely given the Solomon’s financial distress, made worse by the 2021 riots and the devastating arrival of COVID-19 in the form of multiple variants.
- On top of this, more internal dissent has erupted due to the China deal. Sogavare’s government has issued a number of notably strident warnings to opponents.
Solomon Islands explanation
Australia Concerned
Why this situation?
String of Pearls around Australia?
- Chinese overtures in Indo Pacific
- Hambantota Port in Sri Lanka
- Gwadar Port in Pakistan
- Ream Naval Base in Cambodia
- Possible base in Vanuatu
- New city in Papua New Guinea
- Now the Solomon Islands
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