Australia’s Albanese ‘very confident’ China military base won’t be built in Solomon Islands
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also said he had ‘constructive’ talks with Solomons’ leader Manasseh Sogavare at the Pacific Islands Forum in Fiji
- Sogavare said a pact with Beijing would only be used if there was a ‘gap’ in the country’s security coverage which Canberra couldn’t meet
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he is “very confident” there won’t be a Chinese military base built in the Solomon Islands, after meeting with Solomons’ leader Manasseh Sogavare.
Albanese and Prime Minister Sogavare embraced warmly ahead of discussions on the sidelines of the Pacific Islands Forum in Fiji on Wednesday afternoon, their first meeting since the Australian leader was elected in May.
A leaked draft version of the deal would allow Chinese warships safe harbour in the Solomon Islands, just 2,000km from Australia’s coast. Details of the final agreement have not been made public.
Albanese said his meeting with Sogavare had been “constructive”, during an appearance on Australia’s Today morning show on Thursday, adding he was “very confident” a Chinese military base would not be built in the Solomon Islands as a result of the new security agreement.
02:17
China confirms signing of Solomon Islands security pact, as US warns of regional instability
Sogavare confirmed Australia would remain the Solomon Islands’ “security partner of choice” in an interview, The Guardian reported on Thursday.
