Deepened ties with China prove Solomon Islands on right side of history: Solomons PM

Photo: Chinese Embassy in Solomon Islands

Photo: Chinese Embassy in Solomon Islands

China will continue to support the efforts of the Solomon Islands to maintain social stability, realize sustainable development and address traditional and non-traditional security issues, the Chinese Ambassador said at Friday's handover of facilities for Honiara to host the 2023 Pacific Games.

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare said at the ceremony that the relations between China and the Solomon Islands have deepened since the establishment of the diplomatic ties in 2019, and facts prove that the Solomon Islands was on the right side of history in its decision to establish diplomatic ties with China.

China handed over a training track and football field site of the 2023 Pacific Games stadium project to the Solomon Islands on Friday. Chinese ambassador to the Solomon Islands Li Ming said that China-aided training track, the Solomon Islands' first international standard modern track, has finished construction and was handed over to the local government and people, which will play important roles in regular training and participating in various games.

Li said the two countries conducted fruitful cooperation in a wide range of areas including healthcare, police and law enforcement and trade, and the deepening of bilateral ties has brought tangible benefits to the people of the two countries.

Sogavare said Friday's handover ceremony marked another milestone in the country's preparations for the 2023 Pacific Games. Sogavare thanked the Chinese government and people for supporting the Games and providing valuable assistance in COVID-19 prevention and control and the Solomon Islands' national development.

The handover of sports facilities was held amid growing disinformation spread by the US and its allies accusing the normal security cooperation between China and the Solomon Islands for lacking transparency and undermining regional peace.

Photo: Chinese Embassy in Solomon Islands

Both China and the Solomon Islands confirmed that the two countries officially signed the inter-governmental framework agreement on security cooperation recently. And China has stressed that the security cooperation is open, transparent and inclusive, and does not target any third party.

The local newspapers recently published Ambassador Li's articles, in which Li reiterated China's position on the security agreement with the Solomon Islands.

"There is no hidden motive, no geopolitical agenda as some people wrongly claimed. China will never infringe on the sovereignty and internal politics of Solomon Islands," Li said in the article.

He said the bilateral relations cannot be narrowly defined through biased lens of internal politics or geopolitics.

He said he hopes people of the Solomon Islands will not be misled by rumors and inflammatory remarks, adding that the destiny of the Solomon Islands lies in the hands of its people.