Tensions for AUKUS partners the United States and Australia grew as Solomon Islands signed a framework agreement on security cooperation, the Chinese foreign ministry confirmed on Tuesday.
“The foreign ministers of China and the Solomon Islands officially signed the framework agreement on security cooperation recently,” Wang Wenbin confirmed at a regular press briefing, according to news agency AFP. Solomon Islands foreign affairs minister Jeremiah Manele told news agency ABC Australia that the pact was signed.
China Spreads its Tentacles in Australia’s Backyard as the World Looks Away
The US is likely to be annoyed with this arrangement as the announcement comes shortly before Biden administration coordinator for Indo-Pacific Affairs in the National Security Council Kurt Campbell was scheduled to visit Solomon Islands capital Honiara with the aim to deter the prime minister Manasseh Sogavare from signing the pact.
The pact also shows that despite AUKUS’ strength and posture, the Pacific island nation remains committed to taking support from China rather than approaching neighbour Australia for support. It is worth mentioning that Australian minister Zed Seselja travelled to the Solomon Islands last week and publicly appealed to the Sogavare administration to not sign the security pact.
Australia is concerned that there is a lack of transparency in the security pact.
China took cue from Quad’s press releases and said that the pact is transparent and would not target any third party. Beijing said that the pact will see it work with Honiara ‘on maintaining social order, protecting people’s safety, aid, combating natural disasters and helping safeguard national security’.
“China-Solomon Islands security cooperation is public, transparent, open and inclusive, not directed at any third party, and is parallel to and complementary to the existing bilateral and multilateral security cooperation mechanisms in Solomon Islands,” the release said.
The US and Australia along with New Zealand fear that despite the assurances Beijing is looking forward to building a Chinese naval base in the South Pacific.
Esha Banerji in her opinion piece ‘ China Spreads its Tentacles in Australia’s Backyard as the World Looks Away’ says that the moves made by China are an attempt to widen its influence in the Pacific and force the world to move towards a Sino-centric world order.
She also says that the security agreement could disrupt communication and shipping between Australia and the United States, nations bound by AUKUS and major maritime players in the region.
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