diplomacy and regional relationships

• • After 36 years of close diplomatic ties with Taiwan, Prime Minister Sogavare of the Solomon Islands instead recognized China in 2019. 
• • Amidst the election of Prime Minister Sgavere in 2019, protests have been on the rise. But in late November, 2021, these protests became violent in the capital city of Honoria. 

  The Central Bank of Solomon Islands said that riots resulted in large scale destruction of businesses and loss to the local economy, estimated to be about US$28 million.
• • It is the large-scale dissatisfaction with current government policies, such as its pro-Beijing stance, that has fuelled the current crisis. 
  • Such policies include the agreement to participate in China’s Belt and Road Initiative, wherein the islands have secured a $66 million loan from the government’s Bank of China to build 161 mobile towers operated by Huawei. 
• China Pacific Island Countries Economic Development and Cooperation Forum (EDCF) - Pacific Island Region as an important component to BRI

  China is able to use their increasing diplomatic strength and this forum to encourage states to switch their ties. 

  • As such, Beijing promised about $730 million in financial aid to the Solomon Islands in 2019. 
  • This has huge benefits for the Solomon Islands, whereby 700,000 people live in the ‘impoverished country’ (BBC), and more than 80% of the population who live outside the capital, Honiara, do not have easy access to basic services. 
• • In April 2022, a new bilateral agreement was signed between China and the Solomon Islands
  • The Security Agreement seeks to boost cooperation with China on ‘law enforcement and security matters’.

  There is a clause in the agreement that says China can ‘make ship visits to, carry out logical replacement in, and have stopover and transition in Solomon Islands’, as well as sending Chinese forces to the country to ‘protect the safety of Chinese personal and major projects’.
• • Australia, New Zealand and the United States have expressed concern about the potential for a security pact between the Solomon Islands and China, which could lead to China establishing a military base there. 
  • Namely, Australia is concerned over the possibility of Beijing being able to deploy Chinese forces near crucial shipping lanes located 1,200 nautical miles from their borders. 
• Prime Minister Sogavarae communicated with former Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, that while the Solomon Islands traditional security partners were always important, diversification is important to ‘achieve [the island’s] security needs’.
• This fear is accentuated in that, according to AP News, China has already provided the Solomon islands with police training and guns and riot-control equipment.