The request for Chinese forces in the Solomon Islands: What does it mean for North Qld, Australia & the Pacific?

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A defence and strategy expert has warned of a ‘nasty future’ for all Pacific Island nations if the Solomon Islands signs a security agreement with Beijing.

If enacted, the leaked draft document would pave the way for a Chinese military presence in the region, allowing for armed Chinese police and military personnel to be stationed in the island nation – and not necessarily just because the Solomon Islands requests their presence.

The Solomon Islands are just over 2,000 kilometres from Cairns.

“China may, according to its own needs, with the consent of the Solomon Islands, make ship visits to, carry out logistical replenishment in, and have stopover and transition in Solomon Islands,” the document reads.

“The relevant forces of China can be used to protect the safety of Chinese personnel and projects.”

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The Director of Defence, Strategy and National Security at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, Michael Shoebridge, has told Tropic Now that if the Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare signs the document, the entire region is at risk.

“It’s not a deal yet but we should be concerned,” he said.

“It’s a genuine document, we don’t know if it’s the latest draft but it’s going to be considered by the Solomon Islands Government.

“It’s the kind of text that is drafted by the Chinese Government and uses a bunch of expected boilerplate language from them.

“The problem with this formulation is the power imbalance between China and a small island nation.”

Mr Shoebridge said every one of the Pacific Islands Forum members need to be concerned.

“Ship visits, according to China’s own needs – there’s nothing about the Solomon’s requesting this, they can turn up and that means a place for the Chinese military to operate from and use the Solomon Islands to project military power in the region.

“It makes strategic competition very real in the South Pacific.

“It’s much bigger than just the Solomon’s or the Solomon’s, China and Australia – it’s about bringing direct military tension and force into the heart of the South Pacific, which is very different to economic and political competition.”

Beijing’s request follows the recent arrival of replica assault rifles from China, that are being used for training purposes by the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force.

The shipment was not handled by Solomon Ports and the consignment didn’t have a manifest, which raised concerns about government secrecy.

“There’s already been a call from Solomon Island political leaders to be more open about their dealings with China,” Mr Shoebridge said.

“There’d be plenty of Solomon Islanders in the population and in politics who would oppose this latest idea.

“China’s armed police and their military – we know how they operate, we’ve seen that in the takeover of Hong Kong, in Xinjiang, and of course Tiannamen Square.

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“We should be cheered up by the other Solomon’s political leaders, including the opposition.

“However, the current government can be the one that signs this and they will sign up everyone in the Solomon’s and everyone in the Pacific to a nasty future with potential conflict that we all want to avoid.”

Mr Shoebridge said it’s becoming more and more clear that Australia should cancel the lease for the Port of Darwin, granted to Chinese company LandBridge in 2015.

“It’s becoming an increasingly obvious bad idea to grant that lease,” he said.

“But that’s different to military personnel turning up in Darwin.

“China wants this kind of presence and they want to find a door in a South Pacific country that is open to them.

“There’s been a level of coyness (from Australian leaders) because Pacific Governments don’t like being lectured.

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“Every Pacific Island state needs to speak out frankly and it’s up to every Pacific nation to not open a single door.”

What are Australia’s leaders saying?

Defence Minister Peter Dutton is meeting with his New Zealand counterpart Peeni Henare this afternoon to discuss the situation.

“We would be concerned clearly about any military base being established and we would express that to the Solomon Islands government,” he told the Nine Network’s Today program.

“It’s a standing agenda item for all of us to be realistic about China’s footprint, their exertion, their pressure and the way in which they conduct their business.”

Asked if the Morrison government had “dropped the ball” in the Pacific, Mr Dutton disagreed.

“Not at all. If you look at ... the amount of support that we have provided into the Pacific, the work we’ve done in Tonga, the work we continue to do in PNG and every other nation.

“We have a fantastic relationship with the Solomon Islands and we’re there at the request of the government of the Solomon Islands at the moment.”

More than 100 Australian Federal Police and defence personnel were sent to the island nation at the request of the Solomon Islands Government last year, to help deal with unrest.

Protesters were venting their anger over the government’s services and corruption, as well as its closer alignment with China.

Opposition leader Anthony Albanese said the situation calls for diplomacy.

“If the reports are correct, then this would have real implications for the region and is of concern,” he said.

“There is a need for the government to, as always, make sure that Australia’s interest is represented while, of course, respecting other sovereign nations and their right to make decisions.”

Federal Member for Leichhardt, Warren Entsch, said the proposal is reminiscent of China's expression of interest to build a fisheries complex on the Papua New Guinea island of Daru in the Torres Strait.

"They were talking about it in Daru and we have to realise that the Solomon's and PNG are no longer colonial territories of Australia, they are sovereign nations," he said.

"These requests are floating around all the time with China but rarely do they get up.

"Of course we would prefer them not to build bases there but there's a long way to go before that."

Mr Entsch also reiterated Australia's support for the Solomon Islands.

"We've agreed to extend our bilateral security treaty assistance to help them host the 2023 Pacific Games," he said.

"We're also building an eastern border outpost in Temotu Province in response to a request from the Solomon Islands and we're going to construct a western border and outpost in the Shortland Islands and redevelop the Hell's Point Explosive Ordnance Disposal facility." 

"We responded very very quickly when they had that civil unrest last year and we've been doing covid support for them at their request.

"We've got the runs on the board, this is genuine aid and no loans involved but we will watch it very closely."