The Latest Breaking News from Solomon Islands

A week after the US and the Pacific signed a historic joint-partnership declaration, Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown says China had a "different approach to engaging with the Pacific" to the US, while an expert says Beijing will not be deterred from pushing for influence in the region.

The Solomon Islands foreign minister said Tuesday that his nation had objected to the first draft of a US-Pacific partnership declaration because the Pacific territory was "not comfortable" with some indirect references to China.

Countries are looking to mend relationship strained since a Solomon Islands-China agreement was confirmed in April.

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare will visit Australia on Thursday as both countries look to mend ties which soured after the Pacific nation struck a security pact with China in April.

CANBERRA, Australia — The Solomon Islands refused to sign the U.S. government’s Pacific partnership deal until “indirect” references to the Chinese government were removed, with Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele saying his country did not want to “choose sides.”

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An Australian Strategic Policy Institute report shows China's attempts to shape public attitudes — and undermine Australia and the US in Solomon Islands — achieved mixed results.

The Solomon Islands foreign minister says the nation agreed to sign an accord between the United States and more than a dozen Pacific nations only after indirect references to China were removed

The United States concedes it let its relationship with Pacific Island nations "drift" before reaching a historic new partnership agreement with the region.

Washington is in heated competition with Beijing for influence among Pacific island nations.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken says Pacific Island nations have agreed to a "new partnership" with the United States on day one of the leaders' summit and suggests all 12 countries are onboard to sign a historic US-Pacific declaration.