The Solomon Islands has initialled a security agreement with China, opening the way for the superpower to base military forces on the Pacific nation less than 2000 kilometres from Australia's coastline.
After details of the deal were finalised by officials yesterday, Solomon Islands Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi will now formally sign the agreement.
Signing the deal will be a rejection of pressure by the Australian and New Zealand governments who opposed it.
READ MORE: Chinese military base in Solomon Islands 'a red line for Australia'
READ MORE: Aged care nurse missing in northern NSW floodwaters found dead
The Solomon Islands government said in a statement that officials have "initialled elements of a bilateral security cooperation framework" with Beijing.
It added the Pacific nation would continue to work with all partners including Australia "in providing a safe and secure nation where all people are able to co-exist peacefully".
Under the draft agreement, leaked last week on social media, Chinese naval ships and other military forces will be permitted to be based in the Solomon Islands to protect Chinese projects and citizens there.
The Pacific nation's closer relations with China come after rioting erupted in the capital Honiara last November.
Australia and other neighbouring countries sent police and military personnel there to restore order.
Jonathan Pryke, of the Lowy Institute think-tank in Sydney, told nine.com.au earlier any deal between Honiara and Beijing that enabled Chinese warships to be based in the region would be a major shift in the balance of power.
"That would be a red line for Australia in the Pacific ... and it would be a phenomenal change in the way we see our national security," Dr Pryke said.
The draft security deal flagged allowing Chinese ships to visit and make stopovers on the Solomon Islands, which sits about 1700 kilometres off the coast of Queensland.
from 9News https://ift.tt/buiM8dW
via IFTTT
Comments
Post a Comment