Australian officials have expressed alarm over rising Chinese encroachment into the Pacific island region after a draft security deal between the Solomon Islands and China was leaked online.
Publicly confirming the news of “policing deal” with China for the first time, Karen Galokale, the permanent secretary for the Ministry of Police, National Security, and Correctional Services in the Solomon Islands, said in a telephone interview to Reuters that the agreement is yet to be sent to the Cabinet for approval. According to another official within the Solomon Islands’ government, the island nation will be sending “a proposal for a broader security agreement covering the military to its cabinet for consideration.”
A copy of the draft security agreement circulating on social media on Thursday shows that the agreement would allow China to further expand its presence in the region by basing navy warships in the Pacific. If enacted, the document would enable Beijing to station Chinese armed police, military, and “other law enforcement and armed forces” in the Solomons. The deal also outlines the potential for the establishment of a naval base on the island.
The draft security cooperation agreement between China and Solomon Islands has been linked on social media and raises a lot of questions (and concerns). (photos of agreement in this and below tweet) 1/6 pic.twitter.com/nnpnJJQC7r
— Dr Anna Powles (@AnnaPowles) March 24, 2022
Reacting to the leak, Australian Minister for Defence Peter Dutton said that Canberra “would be concerned” if “any military base” is established less than 2,000 kilometres off its coast. “We want peace and stability in the region. We don’t want unsettling influences and we don’t want pressure and coercion that we are seeing from China continuing to roll out in the region,” he added.
Echoing the same concerns, Australian Minister for Home Affairs Karen Andrews told reporters on Thursday that the Pacific is Australia’s “back yard,” when asked about the possibility of Beijing setting up a military base. “In relation to China, in relation to the Pacific region, that is our back yard, that is our neighbourhood, and we are very concerned about any activity that is taking place in the Pacific islands,” she said.
Australia’s opposition agreed that the draft agreement is “really concerning”. Deputy leader Richard Marles called on the Scott Morrison administration to do “everything” to “make sure at the end of the day Australia is the natural partner of choice when it comes to security”.
Following a meeting with PM Sogavare, delighted to confirm 🇦🇺 will extend the Solomons International Assistance Force until Dec 2023, build a radio network across 🇸🇧, construct a second patrol boat outpost on the eastern border and provide SBD130 million in budget support. 🇸🇧🤝🇦🇺 pic.twitter.com/QyugxdrG7U
— Lachie Strahan (@AusHCSols) March 24, 2022
In fact, Australia already has a similar bilateral security agreement with the Solomon Islands that covers the deployment of police and armed forces. Signed in 2018, the same agreement allowed Canberra, at the request of Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, to lead a policing mission to restore order in the wake of riots on the island in 2021. Coincidentally, the riots were fuelled by the population’s displeasure with the government switching diplomatic ties from Taiwan to Beijing. However, the PM has maintained that Chinese investment was essential for the nation’s development.
The latest development is also expected to upset the United States (US), which said in February that it would open an embassy in the Solomon Islands after concern rose in Washington that China was looking to strengthen military relationships in the Pacific islands.
In a bid to perhaps pull the Solomons away from China, Australian High Commissioner Dr, Lachlan Strahan met with PM Sogavare on Tuesday. During the meeting, Australia agreed to extend the Solomon International Assistance Force (SIAF) under the Bilateral Security Treaty until December 2023. The Australian diplomat also confirmed that in response to the island nation’s calls for budget assistance, Canberra has agreed to provide $16.5 million this week to help mitigate the negative fiscal impact of the November 2021 civil unrest as well as the COVID-19 outbreak.