U.S, Japan, Australia and New Zealand concerned by Solomon Islands-China pact

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare and Australian Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Zed Seselja, pose for a picture as they attend a meeting to discuss China security pact in Honiara, Solomon Islands, April 13, 2022. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Australia/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

The United States, Japan, New Zealand and Australia are concerned by a security pact between China and the Solomon Islands, the White House said in a statement on Tuesday.

"Officials from the four countries represented also shared concerns about a proposed security framework between the Solomon Islands and the People's Republic of China (PRC) and its serious risks to a free and open Indo-Pacific," National Security Council Spokesperson Adrienne Watson said.

(Reporting by Costas Pitas in Los Angeles; Editing by Sandra Maler)