The United States warned Solomon Islands that it will act “accordingly” if China installs a “permanent military presence” in the Pacific archipelago following the signing of a controversial security agreement, the White House reported Friday.
The high-level US delegation that visited Solomon Islands explained to Solomon Islands leaders that if Beijing succeeds in “establishing a de facto permanent military presence,” the United States “will respond accordingly,” the US presidency said in a statement.
And it will do the same in the event that a “military installation” or “force projection capabilities” are established that allow a Chinese deployment in the region, he said.
Representatives from the White House and the State Department traveled Friday to Solomon Islands, where they met with Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare. Washington wanted to convince the archipelago not to sign an agreement with Beijing, but on Tuesday it became official.
“In response to the concerns raised, Prime Minister Sogavare reiterated his assurances and specifically assured that there would be no military base, long-term presence or force-projection capabilities,” the US presidency said in the statement.
“The United States stressed that it would follow developments closely together with its regional partners,” he added.
The US delegation also insisted on the “potential implications for regional security,” and questioned, during “substantive discussions,” “the objective, scope and transparency of the agreement.”
The Americans, who claim to “respect the right” of Solomon Islands to make “its sovereign decisions,” endeavored to gain their trust with a series of decisions.
These include accelerating the opening of a US embassy, strengthening cooperation in mine action, dispatching a hospital ship or delivering additional vaccines.
The two countries have also committed themselves to launching a “high-level strategic dialogue” that will focus on the sensitive issue of security.
Prior to the meeting with the Americans, Premier Sogavare, who in 2019 changed his alliance with Taiwan for China, coincided at the opening of a Beijing-funded sports stadium with the Chinese ambassador to Honiara.
Sogavare, who has previously assured that his foreign policy is “to be friends with everyone and an enemy of none,” said in a speech at today's event that his alliance with Beijing puts his country on the “right side of history,” says local channel SIBC.
The president remarked that, during these three years of relations with Beijing, ties between the two countries have developed with “trust, respect and genuine desire for long-term sustainable development results.”
In his turn, the Chinese ambassador to Honiara, Li Ming, assured that Beijing “fully supports the development of the Solomon Islands” and advocated the implementation of other projects to promote sustainable development, as well as measures to protect people, businesses and projects.
The Chinese diplomat also insisted that his country is “always solid” in fulfilling its commitments and is “fast in its actions”, during the speech broadcast by SIBC.
(With information from AFP and EFE)
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