“Any other arrangement on broad security would be just the same as the Australian agreement,” she said in a telephone interview, giving the first public confirmation of the broader security talks. She confirmed a wider agreement was being discussed. Karen Galokale, permanent secretary for the Ministry of Police, National Security and Correctional Services in Solomon Islands, told Reuters a cooperation agreement signed between Solomon Islands and China covered policing. “I don’t think it’s consistent with the values that we share with the Solomon Islands and with Tonga and other … near neighbours of ours in the region.” “We would be concerned clearly about any military base being established and we would express that to the Solomon Islands government,” he said.ĭutton warned Pacific nations to be “be realistic about China’s footprint, their exertion, their pressure and the way in which they conduct their business”. Marles called on the government to do “everything” to support the Pacific “to make sure at the end of the day Australia is the natural partner of choice when it comes to security”.ĭutton rejected any suggestion the Australian government had dropped the ball in the Pacific, arguing it had a “fantastic relationship” with Solomon Islands and said despite overall cuts to foreign aid the share going to the Pacific had increased. On Friday, the Australian opposition’s deputy leader, Richard Marles, told Channel Nine the draft agreement was “really concerning”. “In relation to China, in relation to the Pacific region, that is our back yard, that is our neighbourhood, and we are very concerned about any activity that is taking place in the Pacific islands,” she said.

Solomon Islands switched diplomatic ties from Taiwan to Beijing in 2019, which partly fuelled discontent that led to riots in the capital, Honiara, in November.Īustralia has historically provided security support to Solomon Islands and led a policing mission to restore order in the wake of riots, at the request of prime minister Manasseh Sogavare.Īustralia’s minister for home affairs, Karen Andrews, told reporters on Thursday the Pacific was Australia’s “back yard”, when asked about the possibility of the Chinese military operating in Solomon Islands.

Pacific Warships instaling