CANBERRA asked for transparency about the policing deal signed recently between Honiara and Beijing.
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare visited Beijing this week to deepen bilateral ties with Chinese allies.
The visit resulted in the signing of nine agreements including a controversial police cooperation deal between Honiara and Beijing.
The visit however triggered concerns among some Western nations.
A spokesperson for Australia’s Foreign Ministry revealed Canberra’s concern about the development possibly inviting ‘further regional contest’ while a former United States ambassador said he is disturbed by the secrecy around the agreements.
To counter China’s influence, the US opened its Embassy in the Solomon Islands in February this year while the Biden administration held its first US-Pacific Island Country Summit in September 2022 and pledged $810 million for its allies in the region.
The deepening partnership between Solomon Islands and China in recent months, has alarmed Western democracies, such as the US and Australia, especially after Sogavare called for a review of its security treaty with Canberra to address the changing security challenges faced by both countries.
