Draft agreement between China and Solomon Islands ‘very conc

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Draft agreement between China and Solomon Islands ‘very concerning’: Peter Dutton
March 25, 2022 - 8:36PM

Defence Minister Peter Dutton says the government is “very concerned” by a draft cooperation agreement between Solomons Island and China, which could see Chinese warships and military personnel based in the capital of Honiara.

“We don’t believe it’s in the best interests of the Indo-Pacific, of peace and stability, that we want to see prevail over the course of the coming years and the coming decades, to have a Chinese military presence of this nature within our region,” he told Sky News host Peta Credlin.

“This does cause significant concern, particularly when you see the very close relationship now between Russia and China.

“An extension of that power block into the Indo-Pacific is very concerning,” he said.

“Attempts to compromise our democracy and our systems, that should be a wake-up call to Australians and people in the Indo-Pacific.”

Anti-government unrest in the Solomon Islands continues. Thousands of rioters gathered in the country's capital Honiara on the 24th, trying to break into the National Assembly building and set fire to the police station. Although the country's Prime Minister Sogavare ordered a blockade in the capital that night, the local Chinatown was still attacked on the 25th, and many Chinese shops were burned.

According to reports from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and the Associated Press, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Sogavare today (26th) accused external forces of interfering in the country's government's decision to "break diplomatic relations" with the Taiwan authorities and establish diplomatic relations with mainland China. He insisted that the country's decision to surrender diplomatically was correct, legitimate and put the country "on the right side of history".

He also mentioned that external forces have also encouraged rioters in the country to create riots. Although he said he knew who the outside forces were, he "didn't want to name them."

Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said today that although the Australian government has dispatched police and other forces to the Solomon Islands to assist law and order, the Australian side "has no intention of interfering in its internal affairs in any way"; the Associated Press quoted the opinion as saying, "The Australian side quickly intervened in this regard. It is to prevent Chinese security forces from entering the country and help it restore order."

In addition, the "New York Times" mentioned on the 25th that the United States had previously directly provided foreign aid to the "pro-Taiwan" forces in the country, deepening its internal rifts.

Solomon Islands has signed a policing agreement with China and will also present a proposal for a broader security deal to the cabinet, a senior Solomon Islands government policing official confirmed on March 24, Reuters exclusively reported.

Last year, the riots in the Solomon Islands affected the local Chinese. Australia, which has a security agreement with the Solomon Islands, then dispatched military police to keep the peace. This time, Solomon Islands officials said that the agreement negotiated with China will be consistent with the previous agreement signed with Australia.

Solomon Islands prime minister Manasseh Sogavare has blamed foreign interference over his government’s decision to switch alliances from Taiwan to Beijing for anti-government protests, arson and looting that have ravaged the capital Honiara for the past three days.

However, critics have blamed the unrest on complaints of a lack of government services and accountability, corruption and foreign workers taking local jobs. In 2019, Sogavare also angered many, particularly leaders of Solomon Islands’ most populous province, Malaita, when he cut the country’s diplomatic ties with Taiwan.

My suggestion is: respect national sovereignty.

Russia is also apparently flustered by Ukraine and other countries joining NATO.

My suggestion is: respect national sovereignty.

Russia is also apparently flustered by Ukraine and other countries joining NATO.

I believe a difference between voicing concern and conducting an invasion should be noted.

This is a gradual process. Although not necessarily complete.
And I've seen in discussions with other Australians in this forum that it can't be completely ruled out.

This is why we need clearly defined boundaries on how much of this "gradual process" we tolerate and where is the line not allowed to be crossed.

Pacific region security in question
March 25, 2022 - 11:39AM

Finance Minister Simon Birmingham says Australia will respect the sovereignty of the Pacific nations amid tensions surrounding the Solomon Islands-China security agreement.

It comes as a leaked document reveals the Solomon Islands will allow Chinese military forces to be stationed on the Pacific nation.

Mr Birmingham said he would not want to see anything to occur in the Pacific Islands which may destabilise the peace and security of the region.

“That is the model that we think is most important for all of the Pacific family,” he told Sky News Australia.

“That we should have Pacific responses to Pacific problems.”