In a strategic maneuver demonstrating escalating international diplomacy, the Solomon Islands has inaugurated its embassy in Beijing, China, thereby deepening its relations with the Asian superpower. This move comes as the US continues to boost its presence in the Pacific region.
The Pacific nation’s Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavar, on a week-long trip to China, expressed the country’s commitment to strengthen its ties with Beijing during a meeting with Premier Li Qiang at the Great Hall of the People. “Our newly established embassy reasserts our commitment to nurture and amplify Solomon Islands-China relations,” Sogavar articulated.
As part of the intensifying ties, the countries have inked agreements addressing cooperation in fields of civil air transport, rural development, and trade promotion. The bilateral diplomatic shift from Taiwan to Beijing took place in September 2019, causing a ripple effect in the geopolitics of the region.
Last year, a security accord between Beijing and Honiara, the capital of Solomon Islands, stirred unease in New Zealand and Australia due to concerns over the potential for a Chinese military presence in the South Pacific. However, the Solomon Islands’ government has firmly refuted such prospects.
Earlier this year, in a counter diplomatic stride, the US re-established its embassy in the Solomon Islands and initiated a diplomatic outreach among Pacific Island nations.
This news is based on an article by thestar.com.my.
