Australia seeks own sphere of influence

Western narrative seeks to co-opt the entire Pacific region to contain China’s rise

Australia’s immediate reaction to the agreement signed by China and the Solomon Islands has been to give it closer scrutiny. However, Australia’s overstretch rather confirms that nothing in the agreement says China is bent on establishing a military base in the Pacific, as was alleged by some Australian officials.

Occasionally, China’s Navy may drop anchor for a visit, which is normal for ships plying the vast ocean, and allow its personnel to train the local police to secure and maintain peace and order. These are normal for every country seeking to achieve social order and stability.

The trouble is the hysterical reaction from Australia — itself the fruit of Western colonization — that claims the agreement is preparatory to establishing a military base. This third-party interpretation of the agreement between the Solomon

Islands and China shows an obvious degree of insecurity.

The Western narrative dishing out disinformation against China highlights the deteriorating relations between Australia and the Solomon Islands. The Solomon Islands is treated as Australia’s de facto colony, discriminated against in the restricted entry of Melanesian immigrants to Australia.

Meanwhile, the United States’ fears over its waning influence are growing as Chinese traders stretch to all shores of the Pacific Ocean and countries such as the Solomon Islands stop diplomatic recognition of China’s Taiwan.

The agreement signed by Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi prompted Australia to invoke its own sphere of influence — as if to declare the Solomon Islands off-limits to foreign “colonization”.

Australia wants to impose its version of the US’ Monroe Doctrine. But how is that going to work when the

Solomon Islands is separated from Australia by 3,000 kilometers? Misplaced application of that doctrine could technically bring more than one-third of the entire Pacific Ocean under the control and responsibility of the US, with AUKUS (the security pact between Australia, the United Kingdom and the US), ANZUS (Australia, New Zealand and the US) and Five Eyes (the intelligence alliance comprising Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the US) acting as informal partners.

The fate and future of the entire Pacific region should not be co-opted by the West to contain the rising influence of China.

Australia’s talk of economic assistance reflects the opposite of what it has been doing. Admittedly, Australia remains the biggest aid donor to the Solomon Islands. But for the years that Australia has acted as “caretaker”, the islands’ economy has not been propelled to a level of economic sufficiency.

The Solomon Islands remains dependent on Australia while exporting such goods as wood, aluminum ore, palm oil and frozen fish. Meanwhile, its imports of items such as refined petroleum, rice, poultry and excavation machinery remain highly in favor of Australia.

For 14 years, Australian troops had been stationed in the Solomon Islands under the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands that was established by Australia. The mission has thus become the basis to justify its presence. However, the presence of Australian soldiers did nothing to quell the rioting in November and the burning of commercial establishments in the capital, Honiara.

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare is looking to China for the islands’ continued stability. It is clear that Australia and some of its brokers like the US, to counter China’s growing influence, are merely speculating that China will establish a military base. Even if true, such a base would not be intended to target a third party. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said the two countries’ “agreement is between two sovereign and independent states committed to the normal laws in enforcing and cooperating on the basis of equality, respect and mutual benefit”.

Judging from the dozens of US military bases in other countries, compared with only one for China (and none in the Asia-Pacific region), Australia should be worried about how the US operators of military bases are subjugating the people of the land they are stationed in, including some Australians.