Manasseh Sogavare hits Canberra over budget aid ‘delay’
Solomon Islands PM Manasseh Sogavare has accused Australia of withholding budget support for his government, which he says will now be provided by China.
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has accused Australia of withholding budget support for his government which will now be provided by China, while attacking Canberra for what he claimed was “coercive” interference in his country’s affairs.
The Pacific leader blasted Australia and the US in a press conference on Monday after returning from an official trip to Beijing, where he signed a new security co-operation deal that will ramp up Chinese training of Solomon Islands’ police.
Mr Sogavare said Australia had delayed delivery of $12m in promised budget funding, and New Zealand $15m. “This has left this country and people in a predicament. But I am … delighted to announce the People’s Republic of China have really stepped up to provide this budget support needed for 2023,” he said.
A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokeswoman said: “Australia has delivered on our budget support commitments to Solomon Islands this year.”
She said the support had been provided across “numerous sectors” including health, education and elections, and Australia was continuing to discuss fresh support with the Solomon Islands’ government.
Australia has already provided about $40m towards the Solomons’ budget this year.
Mr Sogavare, who called for a review of Solomon Islands’ security agreement with Australia when he hosted Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles in Honiara in June, condemned calls by Australia and the US for a “free, open Indo-Pacific” as inconsistent with their criticism of his country’s China ties.
“The narrow and coercive diplomatic approach of targeting China-Solomon Islands relations … is unneighbourly,” he said.
“This is nothing but interference of foreign states in the internal affairs of Solomon Islands. China has not invaded or colonised any other nation state. Australia and the US should not fear China’s police support.”
Mr Sogavare also raised the prospect of his country having its own army in the future, which he said he spoke of with Mr Marles.
Such a move would further alarm Australia and the US as it would open an opportunity for Chinese military support.
When he arrived in Beijing just over a week ago, Mr Sogavare declared he was “back home”. He left China after signing nine agreements, including a new policing partnership.
Mr Sogavare’s office said Chinese police trainers would add to the policing support provided by Australia and New Zealand.
“Solomon Islands government fails to see how the improvement of (a) traffic control and management system in Honiara, provision of police equipment or the completion of the forensic autopsy lab is a threat to the Pacific region peace and security,” it said.
Australia and the US called on China and Solomon Islands to release the text of the agreements, but exact details are yet to be disclosed.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Australia and other Pacific nations believed “security is best provided for within the Pacific family”.
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