by Lee Changhwan
Published 19 Apr.2022 16:58(KST)
[Asia Economy Reporter Changhwan Lee] China has officially signed a security agreement with the Solomon Islands, an island nation in the South Pacific. China will be able to dispatch military personnel and warships to the Solomon Islands in the future.
Wang Wenbin, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, announced at a regular briefing on the 19th that the foreign ministers of China and the Solomon Islands recently signed the security agreement on behalf of their respective governments.
The agreement reportedly includes provisions allowing China to dispatch its naval vessels to the Solomon Islands as needed and receive logistical support locally.
It also contains provisions permitting China to send armed police to the Solomon Islands to maintain order and to deploy troops to protect key projects involving local Chinese and Chinese interests.
The Solomon Islands is a small island nation located about 2,000 km northeast of Australia, with a population of around 700,000.
The United States, Australia, and others have expressed concerns that China's influence in the South Pacific region will increase due to this agreement and have reportedly demanded the Solomon Islands withdraw from the agreement.
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