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The Guardian - AU

World

Kate Lyons and Dorothy Wickham in Honiara

The deal that shocked the world: inside the China-Solomons security pact

China Solomon Islands Manasseh Sogavare Anna Powles Matw Wale Solomons Australia Peeni Henare Peter Dutton Xi Jinping

Manasseh Sogavare and Li Keqiang — China’s foreign ministry announced late on Tuesday that a security deal with Solomon Islands had been signed. The prime minister of Solomon Islands, Manasseh Sogavare (L), and the Chinese premier, Li Keqiang, in 2019. Photograph: Thomas Peter/Reuters

The rumours started in August.

Chatter surfaced among the political class in Honiara that China and Solomon Islands were negotiating a security agreement which could allow Beijing to send military and police personnel to its new Pacific ally, and base naval vessels on the islands.

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