The Solomon Islands’ new Prime Minister is set to negotiate a comprehensive strategic treaty with Australia and review the country’s security pact with China.
During his visit to Canberra on June 3, Prime Minister Matthew Wale made it clear that he intends to reverse his predecessor’s pro-Beijing stance—a pivot away from the controversial 2022 security pact with China that had sparked intense concern from the United States and Australia.
Wale arrived in Australia on June 2. He said that while relations between the Solomon Islands and Australia have seen ups and downs in recent years, he is now pushing for closer cooperation.
"The Solomon Islands is Australia's friend, has always been and always will be," Wale said at a press conference with his Australian counterpart, Anthony Albanese.
"We acknowledge that there have been problems in the last few years, but the resilience of our relationship, I think, is self-evident," he said. "We have sought a reset."
Wale has long been critical of China. His visit to Canberra comes less than three weeks after he took office as leader of the archipelago nation.
When asked about the agreement with China, he said it would be reviewed. He also noted that the security agreement had a non-disclosure clause and that he had only seen the full copy for the first time in recent days after fighting for access.
"I've had to remove certain people from key positions," he said. "We are going to be reviewing it as we are reviewing other security agreements we have with many other countries."
China insisted that it and the Solomon Islands are "comprehensive strategic partners in the new era," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on June 3.
Situated in the South Pacific, the strategically significant Solomon Islands has become a focal point of geopolitical competition between Washington and Beijing.
Since signing the security pact with China, the Solomon Islands’ relations with Canberra and Washington have deteriorated. Australia and the United States have consistently criticized the agreement, concerned that it could give Beijing a military foothold in the region.
'Elevated Bilateral Relationship'
Australia is seeking to become the Solomon Islands’ primary security partner in the Pacific.Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that the two nations are “committed to elevate our bilateral relationship,” and will begin working on a "comprehensive" new treaty and deepening police cooperation, “underpinned by mutual trust, respect and open dialogue.”
This move will strengthen Australia’s influence in the Pacific while countering China’s expanding reach.
Under the previous security pact between the Solomon Islands and China, Beijing had deployed over a dozen police officers to the country and collected biometric data from local residents.
Connor Graham, a researcher specialising in the Pacific at the Australian think tank the Lowy Institute, said Wale was providing a "very clear signal."
"He's only been in power for a couple of weeks and we're already here," he said. He added that Australia would advance its position better by addressing the Solomon Islands’ priorities—such as health, education, climate resilience and economic diversification—than by obsessing over security and China.