China hits back at Australia over Solomon Islands ‘red line’, saying ‘the Pacific is not someone’s backyard’

China has slammed Australia for opposing its security pact with Solomon Islands, calling it a colonialist myth-driven violation of sovereignty and saying Canberra had no right to lay down any “red line”.

This came as Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said a Chinese military base in the South Pacific nation would be a “red line” for his government, days after Beijing and Honiara confirmed the signing of the deal without revealing details.

Talk of China building a naval base on Solomon Islands was “purely fake news”, Chinese defence ministry spokesman Tan Kefei said on Thursday, accusing the Australian government and media of intentionally distorting facts and creating tension.

Addressing an online event with Pacific Island nations the same day, China’s vice foreign minister Xie Feng said negotiating and signing a framework security cooperation agreement was “the sacred right of two sovereign countries” in line with international laws and norms, and no one had the right to point fingers at China.

“On what grounds can Australia draw a ‘red line’ for Solomon Islands, 2,000km [1,200 miles] away, and China, 10,000km away? If not an infringement of another country’s sovereignty, interference in another country’s internal affairs and a breach of international rules, what is this?”