CANBERRA (CU)_Not long after a state of unrest unfolded in the Solomon Islands late-last year, Beijing announced support to Honiara, including the provision of anti-riot training and equipment. Accordingly, last month, a team of police officers from China began their work in the Pacific islands, hoping to restore law and order in the country, causing anxiety in Canberra. Australia’s concerns have now been aggravated further after a draft security document between Beijing and Honiara was leaked online.
A government official on Thursday (24 March) revealed to Reuters news agency that such a treaty with China, which would need to go to Cabinet for discussion, would match the security treaty signed with Australia. This would mean that just like Canberra, Beijing too would be allowed to deploy armed forced to Honiara. Australian Defence Minister Peter Dutton has expressed concern over the potential for Chinese military vessels to be based in Australia’s neighbourhood. Last month, Canberra verbally clashed with Beijing after a Chinese navy ship aimed a laser pointer at an Australian surveillance plane while passing through Australia’s northern economic exclusion zone.
“We would be concerned, clearly, at any military base being established and we would express that to the Solomon Islands government,” Minister Dutton said in an interview with Channel Nine on Friday. “We want peace and stability in the region. We don’t want unsettling influences and we don’t want pressure and coercion that we are seeing from China continuing to roll out in the region.”
The situation has also triggered concern in neighbouring New Zealand, with Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta saying that such an agreement between China and the Solomon Islands would be “very concerning” if true. In a statement issued on Friday, the Minister noted that New Zealand’s High Commissioner in Honiara will raise the Kiwi government’s concerns regarding the pact with the Solomons government, while the matter will also be discussed with China directly.
“If genuine, this agreement would be very concerning. Such agreements will always be the right of any sovereign country to enter into, however developments within this purported agreement could destabilise the current institutions and arrangements that have long underpinned the Pacific region’s security. This would not benefit New Zealand or our Pacific neighbours,” the Foreign Minister said.
