Solomons PM says to review security pact with China / Photo: © AFP
Solomons PM says to review security pact with China
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale said Wednesday he would be "reviewing" his country's secretive 2022 security pact with China, which rattled Canberra and Washington.
Asked about that pact alongside Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, the Solomons leader said he had been "praying and fasting" about the Chinese security deal and it would be examined by his government.
"We are going to be reviewing as we are reviewing other security agreements that we have with many other countries," he said.
Asked whether he would reveal the contents of the deal with China, Wale said it contained a non-disclosure agreement and he had not seen it until just before his visit to Australia.
"I have had to remove certain people from key positions. I have not been afforded a copy, even, of that agreement, until a day before I left, so I have not had a good look at it," he told a news conference.
Australia is the largest aid donor to the country of 800,000 people that sits 2,000 kilometres (1,240 miles) to its north-east and historically provided police support during crises.
China is also the largest single bilateral creditor with Solomon Islands debt to Chinese banks for infrastructure projects doubling last year.
Australia is seeking to counter Beijing's influence in the Solomon Islands and has seized the opportunity to rebuild ties after Wale was elected prime minister last month pledging change.
Albanese said Wednesday the two countries would begin work on a "comprehensive" new treaty as well as deepen ties in policing.
The treaty will be "underpinned by mutual trust, respect, and open dialogue", Albanese added.
They had also agreed to push ahead with a major police training deal.
That agreement stalled under the previous Solomon Islands government -- a close backer of Beijing and allowed Chinese police to enter villages to collect household and biometric data as it promoted a Chinese policing model.
Australia has sought to bind South Pacific countries closer by striking treaties with a string of small but strategically located island states, Tuvalu, Nauru and Papua New Guinea offering significant economic support in return for curbs on Chinese security ties.
Vanuatu and Fiji have said they are close to signing similar deals.
N.Taylor--TNT
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