Commentary AUKUS, the new global strategic alliance, has been issued its first major challenge by Beijing while the world is preoccupied with the Russia-Ukraine conflict. A proposed strategic accord between the Solomon Islands and China has emerged as the first great test of the new Australia-United Kingdom-United States (AUKUS) alliance and how quickly Australia could retrieve the situation within its sphere of responsibility. The New Zealand government, linked to Australia and the United States through the ANZUS Treaty, shared Canberra’s concern over the Honiara-Beijing security pact. Australia has civil and military options in dealing with the Solomons’ Chinese security linkage. These could be voiced in the run-up to Australia’s elections to show the firmness of the Liberal-National coalition government of Prime Minister Scott Morrison. The election may be held on May 14. By late March, the opposition Australian Labor Party (ALP) had a 55:45 advantage in opinion polls. Morrison could …