Solomons signed China pact with ‘eyes wide open’, says premier

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare was defiant yesterday about his decision to sign a controversial security pact with China in the face of lobbying from the United States and Australia.

Sogavare said it was an “honour and privilege” to tell parliament the deal had been signed by officials in Honiara and Beijing “a few days ago”.

The deal has faced sharp criticism from the US and Australia, which fear the pact could lead to China gaining a military foothold in the South Pacific.

Sogavare said his government had signed the deal “with our eyes wide open” but declined to tell the opposition leader when the signed version would be made public.

A draft of the deal sent shockwaves across the region when it was leaked last month, particularly measures that would allow Chinese naval deployments to the Pacific nation, less than 2,000km from Australia.

News of the deal’s signing upended Australia’s closely fought federal election campaign as Prime Minister Scott Morrison faced a barrage of questions about his handling of the Solomon Islands.

Morrison said he would visit the Pacific nation “at the first opportunity” but rejected criticism that he or Foreign Minister Marise Payne should have travelled to the Solomons to personally lobby against the deal.

He said Australia had to respect decisions made by its neighbours.

But his deputy Barnaby Joyce struck a different tone, telling reporters the deal would enable China to set up a military base in the Solomon Islands.

“We don’t want a ‘little Cuba’ off our coast,” he said.