Huge warning in what Australians 'shamefully' regret

Did you know the only time federated Australia was under acute threat was in the Solomons? History repeats.

A burnt out and looted street seen through a smashed television set in riot-devastated Chinatown in Honiara in the Solomon Islands in 2006. Picture: Dave Hunt/AAP

Did you know the only time federated Australia was under acute threat was in the Solomons? History repeats.

Lest we forget.

Although, it appears we already have. 

China is moving onto our doorstep in the Solomon Islands with a secretive security deal. 

Scott Morrison said China building a military base on Solomon Islands would be the "red line" for Australia and the US.  He did not say how we would respond if the line was crossed.

In military terms, a red line is an issue governments believe is unacceptable and commit to responding negatively. 

On this Anzac Day, we should recall that during World War II, federated Australia experienced its only acute threat to national existence and sovereignty. Where was the key fight? In the Solomon Islands.

The Japanese established a base there, and now China want to pursue the same strategy.

"Australians are shamefully ignorant of this history," The Australian's foreign editor Greg Sheridan said.

It's getting uncomfortably warm in the Asia Pacific region right now, and, this time, it isn't the consequence of climate change.

Tell me about the Solomons

The Solomon Islands are closer to Sydney than Perth is.

While the country of 700,000 looks like a paradise...

Idyllic Wickham Island, Marovo Lagoon, Solomon Islands.

Munda, New Georgia Island, Western Province, Solomon Islands.

It just has a modern history full of riots. On many occasions, the Solomon Islands have requested Australian support in quelling the violence.

A burnt out and looted street seen through a smashed television set in riot-devastated Chinatown in Honiara in the Solomon Islands in 2006. Picture: Dave Hunt/AAP

Large crowds are seen as buildings burn in the Solomon Island's capital of Honiara in the Chinatown district, as civil unrests continues for a second day in November 2021.

What is happening 

The Chinese government is flexing. Hard. And as a result Australia's national security is in the spotlight because of a recently signed security agreement between China and Solomon Islands. All done in secret too. What it means for Australia and our other neighbours remains anyone's guess. But should China use the deal to expand its military presence there, the dial will definitely shift from this:

This is fine.

To this:

Not so fine.

For Australia, building a Chinese military base in the Solomons would be the 'red line'.

We may be witnessing a revolution in our strategic outlook

Australia remains the biggest donor in the Pacific with $1.7billion set aside for the region every year. The Solomons receive about $170million of that aid.

The paradise to our north is not all pina coladas and palm trees.

This security pact with China has been on the boil for more than a year now as civil tensions have flared up as riots and political unrest has kicked on.

On Sunday deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce suggested the Solomon Islands will risk its sovereignty if it continues a strategic alliance with China.

If that happens, our own independence could be at risk. Again.

As The Australian's foreign editor Greg Sheridan pointed out:

"As we commemorate Anzac Day, we should recall that the fighting in the Pacific in World War II was the one time in its modern history that Australia’s national existence as a sovereign, independent nation came under grave and immediate threat.

"The Guadalcanal campaign and the critical naval Battle of the Coral Sea both centred on the Solomons, while the critical fighting in New Guinea was just next door. Australians are shamefully ignorant of this history.

"The last time our sovereignty and national existence was at risk, Solomon Islands, with New Guinea, was the critical strategic location. This time it’s still the critical strategic location, just 1700km northeast of Cairns. It is nearer to Cairns than Sydney is. It’s about the same distance from Cairns as Brisbane is.

"The Japanese in World War II established their base there in part to cut Australia off from the US. The Chinese want a base there today to effect a modern version of the same strategy."

When will the military base move in?

However just because this "agreement" with China and Solomons was signed, doesn't mean a Chinese military base will be set up there.

In fact, Beijing has denied it wants to establish military foothold there. But transparency is not something the Chinese government is  renowned for. It previous said it would never militarise the islands it occupied - or built - in that other fraught area close by called the South China Sea. 

Beijing, as defence minister Peter Dutton has been reminding us in nearly every interview he's given in the past week, now has 20 points of military presence in the South China Sea, including air strips and other military infrastructure like docks and huge naval facilities.

Solomon Islands deserves our continued interest because of the 700,000 Pacific neighbours we have who live there. But it is also the case that Solomon Islands has always been fundamental to Australia’s strategic outlook and we cannot forget that.