Solomon Islands, China ink nine docs, police cooperation included

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
10 Jul 2023 12:10

The Solomon Islands and China ink nine deals as Prime Minister Sogavre visits Beijing to deepen ties between the two countries.

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare shakes hands with China's Premier Li Qiang after signing a number of agreements at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, July 10, 2023 (AFP)

The Solomon Islands signed a new deal with China on police cooperation, which will deepen the bilateral relations between the two countries.

The "implementation plan" on policing will take effect as of 2025 and comes as part of nine documents signed by Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavre and China's Premier Li Qiang ain't Beijing's Great Hall of People following their meeting on Monday.

The Solomon Islands cut off its relations with Taiwan 4 years ago, and since then, it has deepened its relations with the People's Republic of China.

The Chinese Premier said the development of China-Solomon Islands relations over the past 4 years has been "very fruitful", adding that the Solomons expansion of ties with Beijing was "the correct choice that conforms to the trend of the times."

On his part, the Solomon Prime Minister told Li that his nation "has a lot to learn from China's development experience."

The two leaders also penned a new deal in "Sports Technical Assistance Project," which aims to build a host stadium for this year's Pacific Games which will be held in the Solomon Island's capital Honiara.

The Prime Minister's visit to China will end on Saturday as his activities will include the inauguration of the country's embassy in Beijing and visits to the provinces of Jiangsu and Guangdong.

The US has been troubled over the growing cooperation of nations of the Global South with China, as is the case with the Solomon Islands.

In February 2023, the US opened an embassy in the Solomon Islands, which coincided with Fijian leader, Sitiveni Rabuka, seeking to assess some aspects of his country's relations with China.

The US State Department told lawmakers early last year that China's growing influence in the region made the reopening of the Solomon Islands embassy an urgent priority.

Sogavare said at an independence anniversary event on Saturday, "It is not in the interest of our people and country to take sides and align ourselves with interests that are not our interest."