Solomon Islands and China to sign security agreement, Australia, New Zealand worry about stability in region

At a glance:

- Solomon Islands Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare, has said publicly that a security cooperation agreement with China has been finalised and is ready to be signed, and has texted Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison about the development. Sogavare also said that Morrison’s criticism of the country's agreement with China is 'very insulting'.

- Australia's High Commissioner to the Solomon Islands, Lachie Strahan, said on a social media site that Australia was concerned about a security cooperation agreement to be signed between the Solomon Islands and China

- The agreement is seen as potentially leading to the establishment of a Chinese military base in the Solomon Islands.

- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman in Beijing, Wang Wenbin, asked rhetorically, “Who is building the militarised cabal that will bring the risk of nuclear proliferation to the Pacific?”

-Solomon Islands PM Manasseh Sogavare said the country's security cooperation agreement with China has been finalised and is ready to be signed.
Australia, New Zealand, and the United States have expressed concern about a possible security cooperation agreement between the Solomon Islands and China, which could lead to the establishment of a Chinese military base in the Pacific Islands Region.

Source: SBS Australia #Mar29

https://www.sbs.com.au/chinese/cantonese/zh-hant/as-concerns-grow-over-solomon-islands-china-pact-here-s-how-it-could-impact-the-pacific-region

#AsiaPacific #PacificIslandsRegion #Oceania #China #SolomonIslands #Australia #ChineseForeignMinistry #WangWenbin #ManassehSogavare #ScottMorrison #Chinesemilitarybase #securitycooperationagreement