China-Australia relations: Canberra’s top diplomat Penny Wong visits Solomon Islands to address Beijing security concerns

Trip marks the first visit to the Solomons by an Australian foreign minister since the island nation sealed a security pact in April with China

China and the Solomon Islands have each dismissed fears among the US and its allies that it could lead to the construction of a Chinese military base

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Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong visited the Solomon Islands to discuss security concerns following the Pacific Island nations recent security pact with China. Photo: AFP

Published: 1:21pm, 17 Jun 2022Updated: 3:11pm, 17 Jun 2022

Australia’s foreign minister landed on Friday in the Solomon Islands and met with the country’s leader Manasseh Sogavare to address relations frayed by the Pacific nation’s cosy ties and recent security pact with China.

It is the latest stop in a South Pacific travel blitz by Foreign Minister Penny Wong, who is seeking to shore up regional ties.

Since the centre-left Labor government’s May 21 election victory in Australia, Wong has flown to Japan, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and New Zealand to parry China’s growing military and diplomatic influence.

Wong made no immediate comment on the talks, but said earlier that she wanted to discuss pandemic recovery, economic development, climate change and “our shared security interests”.

It marks the first visit to the Solomons by an Australian foreign minister since the island nation sealed a security pact in April with China, sparking alarm in the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Japan.

The agreement has not been made public, but a leaked draft showed it would allow Chinese naval deployments to the island, which lies less than 2,000 kilometres from Australia.