Solomon Islands' new prime minister vows friendly China relations

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
2 May 2024 13:56

The new prime minister says that he will maintain the country's foreign policy to uphold close relations with China.

Solomon Islands' Prime Minister, then-Foreign Minister, Jeremiah Manele is pictured in Wellington, New Zealand, in October 2022. (AFP)

The newly elected prime minister of the Solomon Islands pledged on Thursday to maintain friendly relations with China as part of the country's foreign policy.

Celebrating his victory outside the parliament on Thursday, Jeremiah Manele said, "The people have spoken," calling for calm to ensue.

“I humbly stand before you, as your elected prime minister. We must respect and uphold the democratic process,” he told his supporters.

Manele served as foreign minister in 2019, when former Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare's government severed relations with Taiwan and established diplomatic ties with Beijing.

The governor of the country, Gen. Sir David Vunagi, declared outside the parliament house that Manele had secured 31 votes, while opposition leader Matthew Wales received 18 votes. Following the election of the premier, the parliament was set to convene for the swearing-in ceremony and the election of the speaker.

The United States, China, and Australia closely monitored the election due to its potential implications for the regional situation after the former Prime Minister signed a security pact with Beijing in 2022, and another cooperation agreement in 2023, allowing China to maintain a police presence in the developing South Pacific nation until 2025.

Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese congratulated Manele, saying, “I look forward to working closely with him. Australia and Solomon Islands are close friends and our futures are connected.”

Mihai Sora, a Lowy Institute research fellow and former Australian diplomat in Soloman Islands, said that the new prime minister has "a strong track record of working well with all international partners”, compared with Sogavare who was “a polarising figure."

Commenting on a recent report published by the country's Central Bank (CBSI), Manele said, "We as a country continue on the recovery path after the Covid-19 global pandemic and 2021 riots."

“The recent report by CBSI on the state of our economy is concerning and calls for a more focused and aggressive approach," he noted, adding, "It is not an easy task but we will be reaching out to all relevant stakeholders as we progress on our road to recovery.”