The Solomon Islands Prime Minister has guaranteed that there will never be a Chinese military base in his country, saying that any such agreement with Beijing would undermine regional security, make the Solomon Islands an “enemy” and “put our country and our people as a target for potential military attacks ”.
He also said Australia remains the Solomon Islands’ “preferred security partner” and would only ask China to send security personnel to the country if there was a “gap” that Australia could not fill.
Speaking exclusively to The Guardian, RNZ and SIBC in his first media interview since signing the controversial security deal with China earlier this year, Manasseh Sogavare said it was time for the world to “trust us “.
“Let me reassure you that there is no military base, no other military facility or institution in the agreement. And I think it’s a very important point that we continue to reiterate to the family in the region.” he said.
The news of the agreement with China aroused great concern among Western countries, especially the language of the text which says that China could “make ship visits.” But Sogavare rejected claims it would lead to a military base in the country, which is less than 2,000km off the east coast of Australia.
“I have said it before and I will say it again, this is of no interest to anyone, not even to the interest of the region to establish any military base in any Pacific island country, let alone in the Solomon Islands,” Sogavare said. .
“I think the reason is simple; the reason is regionalism, the moment we establish a foreign military base, we immediately become an enemy. And we also put our country and our people as targets of possible military attacks. “
Sogavare also said Chinese security personnel would only be invited to the Solomon Islands by the Solomon Islands government if Australia could not meet the government’s security assistance requests.
“If there is a gap, we will not allow our country to sink. If there is a gap, we will ask for China’s support. But we have made it very clear to Australians, and many times, when we have this conversation with them, that they are a favorite partner … when it comes to security issues in the region, we will call them first. “
However, the guarantees appear to be at odds with comments made by Sogavare last week, in which he praised China as a “worthy partner”, while relations with some countries “can sometimes attack”, in a reference apparent in Australia. He also said he wanted China to play a permanent role in police training in his country and welcomed the donations of police vehicles and drones from Beijing.
Manasseh Sogavare, right, with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in May. Photo: Anonymous / AP
Sogavare has spent much of his time at the 51st Pacific Islands Forum meeting in Fiji this week, dispelling fears that his country welcomed China’s first military presence in the Pacific. He said, “We will not do anything that puts any member of our Pacific family at risk.”
“What I have been saying during the signing of the agreement between countries [is that it is a] sovereign issue of the countries involved. However, we are also grateful that the Solomon Islands are part of the Pacific family. Therefore, we have made sure that the agreement does not undermine the security of the region in any way. “
So far, Sogavare has not answered media questions about the security deal, which was leaked in late March. However, on Thursday he condemned journalists for contributing to the misinformation, saying: “Our office is always open. Officials are there and I am also accessible.”
He accused the media of “contributing to misinformation and then blowing[ing] disproportionate things and said he hoped the interview would “give us a chance to clear the air.”
Sogavare’s assurances come when other Pacific leaders have expressed concern about China’s attempts to divide the region and fear that China will try to reintroduce a broad economic and security agreement in the region.
The deal, which was proposed to 10 leaders during Wang Yi’s marathon tour of the region in June, was rejected, but China has indicated it will return to the deal at a later date.
“I assumed they would never stop trying, right?” said Surangel Whipps Jr., Palau’s president, speaking on the sidelines of the PIF. “I mean, if they wanted to, they would keep pushing.”
Palau, who has diplomatic relations with Taiwan and not China, was not one of the 10 countries to which the agreement was proposed, and Whipps said that by excluding some countries from the Pacific islands, he “weakens the agreement.” .
“I think it’s an attempt to divide the Pacific again. We just got back together, we’re together,” he said. “If we are truly brothers in the Pacific, let us make sure that this does not affect our peace and security and our prosperity in the future. You know, we respect the sovereignty of the people, but we also collectively look at how this affects us all.
Daniel Panuelo, President of the Federated States of Micronesia, expressed serious concerns about the proposed regional agreement with Pacific leaders in a scathing letter warning that this security pact could lead Pacific countries to be the “center of the future confrontation between these great powers “. .
Forum partner countries such as the United States, China and Japan are usually invited to attend a post-forum dialogue meeting, at which they can make presentations, but this year the dialogue between partners will not take place during the week of the summit. Forum President Frank Bainimarama, Fiji’s prime minister, has called on China not to participate in this year’s PIF.
Panuelo confirmed that this was to give Pacific leaders some leeway from the intense geopolitical tension.
“That’s absolutely the meaning of our belonging,” he said.
Panuelo said the regional agreement had not yet been returned to the Pacific countries by China and would not be discussed by leaders in Thursday’s withdrawal.
“It simply came to our notice then. Our issues are what is in the best interest of our Pacific community, things that influence this 2050 strategy, climate change, the Suva agreement [that resolves the fracture in the PIF with Micronesian countries]. ”
But Panuelo predicted that he would return to the Pacific countries when the next partner dialogue forum was held, which could be in September, on the sidelines of the Pacific Islands Conference of Leaders.