Solomons-China security deal: Australia denies rift after Honiara hits out at PM Morrison over ‘invasion’ threat

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare said Honiara is being ‘threatened with invasion’ after it signed a security agreement with Beijing

But Scott Morrison defended Australia’s ties with the Solomons, saying Canberra was still the ‘primary security partner of the island nation’

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China’s envoy to the Solomons Li Ming (right) and the Pacific nation’s Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare cut a ribbon during the opening ceremony of a Beijing-funded stadium complex in Honiara last month. Photo: AFP

Published: 10:48am, 5 May 2022

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison denied there is a growing rift between his government and the Solomon Islands, after the Pacific nation’s leader accused Canberra of treating his country like children with guns.

In a fiery speech to the Solomon Islands’ parliament on Tuesday, Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare accused Western countries of trying to undermine his government after it signed a security agreement with China in April.

Sogavare said the Solomon Islands was being treated as “kindergarten students walking around with Colt 45s in our hands” who needed “to be supervised.” “We are insulted,” Sogavare said.

There has been an escalating war of words between Australia and the Solomon Islands after the agreement struck between Honiara and Beijing to provide domestic security.

No final version of the deal has been released but a draft version leaked in March included a provision for Chinese warships to be given safe harbour in the Solomon Islands, just 2,000km from the Australian coastline.

Morrison had previously said a Chinese military base in the Solomon Islands would be a “red line” for his government, although he didn’t elaborate on what action he would take to prevent it. Speaking on Tuesday, Sogavare said there had been a “warning of military intervention” in the Solomon Islands, if other countries’ security goals were undermined.