Solomons PM says to review security pact with China

New Delhi ( Vivek Ojha ) : Australia and the Pacific island country Solomon Islands have agreed to begin negotiations on a new treaty. The new Solomon Islands prime minister, Matthew Wale, says he wants to “reset” the relationship with Australia. Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale recently said that he would be “reviewing” his country’s secretive 2022 security pact with China, which rattled Canberra and Washington. It is important development because soloman island is part of Pacific ocean and free and open Indo pacific stretegy always encounters China due to its expansionist policy.

Solomon Islands had been on the front line of strategic competition between Australia and China in the Pacific ever since it signed a sweeping pact with China in 2022.

Push to curb China influence : In their joint statement Mr Wale and Mr Albanese also reaffirmed that “Pacific peace and security is best led and handled by the Pacific”.It is language often used by Australia as part of its push to curb China’s security ambitions in the region. Australia and the United States have been sharply critical of the deal over concerns it could allow a permanent Chinese navy presence in the South Pacific.

The two prime ministers said officials from both countries would now begin negotiations on a “comprehensive” new strategic treaty between the countries which would bring “transformational change in the relationship” and see a “significant enhancement of the bilateral development assistance partnership between the two countries”.

Soloman island relation With Australia and China:

Australia is the largest aid donor to the country of 800,000 people that sits 2,000 kilometres (1,240 miles) to its north-east and historically provided police support during crises. After the Solomons switched diplomatic ties from Taiwan to Beijing in 2019 and struck the security pact, relations with Canberra and Washington deteriorated.China quickly became the strategically-located Pacific island state’s largest bilateral creditor, with Solomon Islands debt to Chinese banks for infrastructure projects doubling last year.