Taiwan may lose another Pacific ally to Beijing as Solomon Islands begins 100-day assessment of priorities
- Newly elected prime minister has ‘super long list’ to consider, says his government is ‘under a lot of pressure’ over ties with Taipei
- Taiwan has already lost five diplomatic allies since 2016
Last month, after heated elections in the Solomon Islands, the Taiwanese combat support ship Pan Shi arrived on the shores of Taipei’s main ally in the South Pacific. With a flash of a thumbs up, Roger Luo, Taiwan’s ambassador, was joined by the Solomon Islands’ Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele on deck.
“Taiwan-Solomon Islands relations are shipshape and Bristol fashion!” Taiwan’s foreign affairs ministry said, using the 19th century phrase coined for the western English port city and posting photos of the meeting on social media.
But this past week, Manele signalled that the islands’ relationship with Taiwan may be on the rocks within 100 days and Taipei may be abandoned in favour of ties with Beijing, local media reported.
The loss of Taiwan’s largest official partner in the South Pacific after September could trigger a domino effect on others, analysts said.
It may also strengthen mainland China’s Pacific presence, where the PLA Navy has vied with the United States and Australia.
Manasseh Sogavare, the Solomon Islands’ new prime minister, said on Wednesday that there was a “super long list” of factors for his government in Honiara to consider, including domestic development and other countries’ experiences with Beijing.