Senior US officials to visit Solomon Islands amid China security concerns

Delegation led by Kurt Campbell is latest step by the US and Australia to ramp up pressure on Solomon Islands to abandon a potential security pact with China

US and Australia are concerned over Beijing negotiating a military base in the Pacific, which would allow China to deploy forces in vicinity of both countries

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A display case of photos is seen outside Chinese Embassy in Honiara, Solomon Islands. Seeking to counter international fears over its new security alliance with China, the Solomon Islands said it won’t allow China to build a military base there. Photo: AP

Published: 10:58am, 19 Apr 2022Updated: 11:07am, 19 Apr 2022

One of the Biden administration’s top foreign policy officials will head to the Solomon Islands this week in the latest step by the US and Australia to ramp up pressure on Honiara to abandon a potential security pact with China.

US National Security Council (NSC) Indo-Pacific Coordinator Kurt Campbell will lead a delegation of American officials to the Solomon Islands in coming days, according to a statement from NSC spokeswoman Adrienne Watson released on Monday. The tour will also include Hawaii, Fiji and Papua New Guinea.

“The delegation will meet with senior government officials to ensure our partnerships deliver prosperity, security, and peace across the Pacific Islands and the Indo-Pacific,” Watson said in her statement.

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, left, and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang attend a signing ceremony in Beijing in October 2019. The Solomon Islands revealed on March 24 it had signed a policing cooperation agreement with China. Photo: Pool via AP

Campbell’s visit comes one week after Australia’s Pacific Minister Zed Seselja made an unusual mid-election campaign trip to the Solomon Islands, where he publicly asked the Pacific nation’s leadership to “consider” not signing the security pact with Beijing.

The flurry of diplomacy was sparked by the leaking of a draft agreement in late March between the Chinese government and the Solomon Islands which would allow the deployment of China’s security forces in the case of domestic unrest. The agreement could also allow a safe harbour for Chinese naval vessels just 2,000 kilometres from the Australian coastline.

Solomons Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has since said that the Solomon Islands does not intend to allow China to build a military base.

“Despite the Solomon Islands government’s comments, the broad nature of the security agreement leaves open the door for the deployment of PRC military forces to the Solomon Islands,” State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters, referring to the People’s Republic of China.