Behaving like the security deal is a catastrophe lessens our standing in a region sick of being seen as a geo-strategic chessboard
. It’s short and clear. Solomons can ask China to provide police and military assistance. If, and only if, Solomon Islands government of the day consents, China can “make ship visits to, carry out logistical replenishment in, and have stopover and transition in Solomon Islands, and relevant forces of China can be used to protect the safety of Chinese personnel and major projects in Solomon Islands.” Permanent bases are not mentioned.the threat of a Chinese base.
And as Scott Morrison pointed out, Manasseh Sogavare, Solomon Islands prime minister, has explicitly ruled out a Chinese base. True, Sogavare is a political manoeuvreer who can’t be taken at his word. But a Chinese base in Solomons serves neither his interest, nor that of the Chinese. I’m not defending Sogavare. I’d rather Chinese police weren’t helping him. But a base isn’t in his interest. And he’s no fool.
It’s harmful to countries like Australia and New Zealand, because the main advantage we have over China in the Pacific is soft power. Thanks to anti-Chinese racism and a healthy wariness of China’s authoritarian government, most people in Pacific countries, including political elites, are more hesitant in dealing with China than with us.
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