Australia has been told to be bolder about calling out corruption and malign foreign interference in the Pacific to counter the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) increasing influence. The expanding security relationship between Beijing and the Solomon Islands has raised concerns in Canberra, which wants the issue to be primarily dealt with by Pacific nations. The…

Canberra will build a maritime base for the Solomon Islands’ military to dock patrol ships it donated as part of Australia’s $60 million infrastructure investment plan. The Department of Defence has signed a contract with private construction firm Reeves Icon and Hall for the establishment of two major infrastructure facilities in the Pacific island country….

Canberra will build a maritime base for the Solomon Islands’ military to dock patrol ships it donated as part of Australia’s $60 million infrastructure investment plan. The Department of Defence has signed a contract with private construction firm Reeves Icon and Hall for the establishment of two major infrastructure facilities in the Pacific island country….

Australia’s diplomatic representative to the Solomon Islands has announced an extra $US103 million in aid to the Pacific country as part of an ongoing diplomatic offensive against Beijing’s influence with the Sogavare government. Australian High Commissioner Lachlan Strahan said the package will include support for health, education, governance, elections among several other initiatives, reported RNZ on Oct. 31….

A new report from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) has revealed that Beijing is spreading false information in the Solomon Islands in an attempt to undermine its partnerships with Australia and the United States. The report entitled “Suppressing the Truth and Spreading Lies: How the CCP is influencing Solomon Islands’ information environment,” published on Oct. 5, examined…

The Solomon Islands’ prime minister said Monday that navy vessels from Australia and New Zealand are exempt from a temporary ban that resulted in U.S. and British vessels being turned away in August. Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare told Parliament that foreign military vessels deployed under the Solomon Islands International Assistance Force—which it signed with Australia,…

Australia will provide the Solomon Islands with more than $17 million for the Pacific Games as a slate of ministers and top U.S. diplomats tour the region to combat Chinese influence. Pacific Minister Pat Conroy has met with Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare to discuss the Sino-Solomons security pact signed earlier this year. Conroy…

China is considering a proposal to set up a police training center in the Solomon Islands, Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele said on Thursday, as Beijing seeks to bring their bilateral ties to “a higher level.” Manele made the remarks during a joint press conference with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, who was on a 10-day…

Chinese and Russian military officials have been barred from attending a major international naval conference in Sydney, Australia, attended by naval chiefs from 40 countries. In previous years, officers from the Chinese People’s Liberation Army-Navy were invited to attend the biennial Indo-Pacific 2022 International Maritime Exposition—the first one held since the pandemic ended. However, Vice Admiral…

Beijing’s Ministry of Commerce has promised to open the door for new wharves, shipbuilding, fishing facilities, and clean energy development in the Solomon Islands, according to a recent leak, hinting at the possibility that a contentious security deal could open the door for the militarization of the region. The latest revelations come after an earlier…