Solomon Islands denies policing deal with China poses ‘threat’ to Pacific security

Solomon Islands prime minister Manasseh Sogavare meets his Chinese counterpart Li Qiang in Beijing. Sogavare’s government says critics of a policing deal signed with China should ‘respect our sovereignty’. Photograph: Andy Wong/AP

Solomon Islands has said that its policing pact with China poses no “threat” to the Pacific, rebuking western powers that raised fears the deal could inflame regional tensions.

Prime minister Manasseh Sogavare inked a raft of deals during a trip to China this week, including an agreement allowing Beijing to extend its police presence in the developing Pacific nation until 2025.