Solomons centre of battle for influence

Australia has accelerated construction of a $65 million high commission and $120 million logistics building to push back China’s influence in the country.

The Chinese embassy in Honiara, Solomon Islands. Beijing have attempted to spread its influence through the Pacific through a series of economic and securities contracts.

Australia is expanding its strategic footprint in Solomon Islands, ­accelerating works on a new $65m fit-for-purpose multi-­storey high commission and $120m logistics hub that will oversee foreign aid delivery and help Western ­nations compete with China.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has obtained land for the new high commission and secured a residential compound to house more frontline personnel and lead Australia’s record spending in the key strategic South Pacific nation.

The move comes as the US begins work on establishing a permanent embassy in Honiara, where China opened a sprawling embassy in 2020 following the Manasseh Sogavare-led government’s switch to Beijing after 36-years of diplomatic ties with Taipei.

With the Albanese government providing $170m in development assistance to the Solomon Islands in 2022-23, establishing Australia as the country’s largest development partner, more space and logistics support is critical to oversee aid delivery on the ground.

Australia, the US, Britain, France and Japan are moving to expand their presence in the South Pacific, after China launched an aggressive security push in the region backed by multi-billion dollar infrastructure and economic development commitments.

The pushback against China continued last week after new Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni ­Rabuka scrapped a security ­policing agreement with Beijing signed by his predecessor Frank Bainimarama.

The Australian high commission building in Honiara.

A key component of Australia’s presence in Honiara will be a new four-year $120m Australia-Solomon Islands Program Support Facility, which from July 1 will replace existing arrangements in place since 2020.

The facility will “undertake procurement, infrastructure delivery and other related activities” to reduce the overall risk to DFAT of funds being “misappropriated, significant delays or cost overruns”.

It will oversee “the delivery of programs, ­deployee support, procurement of goods, and surge capacity when needed, including during crisis or emergency responses”.

Solomon Islands, which is one of 31 countries considered ­“severely off track” in reaching global sustainable development goals, is in the grip of an economic slump after its economy declined 4.5 per cent last year.

The High Commission signed a deal with the Solomon Islands National Provident Fund to lease a purpose-built residential compound, providing eight properties for Australian diplomats and their families.

“DFAT have acquired land in Honiara to construct a multi­storey building for the AHC,” tender documents said.

“The intention is that the new building would be constructed using a prefabricated modular ­approach to overcome risks associated with delivering large construction projects in foreign and remote locations.

“It is envisaged the solution will be mixture of traditional and prefabricated methodologies due to the size and complexity of the proposed building.”

The gated, high-security Chinese embassy has emerged as ­Beijing’s Honiara hub, overseeing major projects including infrastructure for this year’s Pacific Games and security partnerships with the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese welcoms Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare in Parliament House in Canberra.

As China increases economic and security ties with Solomon ­Islands, DFAT this month launched a $30m process to overhaul the Strongim Bisnis bilateral private sector development program, established in 2017 to promote economic development.

International Development and Pacific Minister Pat Conroy said “we are working with Solomon Islands and other members of the Pacific family to build a ­region that is peaceful and prosperous, and where sovereignty is respected”.

“Australia values our position as Solomon Islands’ largest bilateral partner, supporting all areas of society and the economy – from health, justice, security and education, to infrastructure, labour mobility, private sector growth, agriculture and rural ­development,” Mr Conroy told The Australian.

“Honiara was one of my first visits as a minister, and I’m proud to be a part of a government that is focused on strengthening our relationship with Solomon ­Islands.”

The US State Department earlier this month informed congress that it would soon establish an ­interim embassy on the site of its consulate premises. While the temporary embassy will house two US diplomats and local staff, a larger complex will be built to enhance diplomatic and security ties between the US and Solomon Islands.

“We are seeing this bond (forged during World War II) weaken as the People’s Republic of China aggressively seeks to ­engage Solomon Islands’ political and business elites, utilising a familiar pattern of extravagant promises, prospective costly infrastructure loans, and potentially dangerous debt levels,” the US department said, according to a notice obtained by Associated Press.

“The United States needs a permanent diplomatic presence in Honiara to effectively provide a counterweight to growing (Chinese) influence and deepen our engagement with the region commensurate with its importance.

“The absence of an embassy has severely constrained our ability to engage with this strategically situated country with alacrity and precision.”