Solomons signed China security pact ’with our eyes open’: PM

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare said Wednesday his government signed a controversial security pact with China "with our eyes open" but refused to say when it may be published.

The deal, announced by Beijing a day earlier, has faced sharp criticism from the United States and Australia, which fear the pact could lead to China gaining a military foothold in the South Pacific.

Sogavare told parliament it was an "honour and privilege" to announce that the deal had been signed by officials in Honiara and Beijing "a few days ago".

He declined to tell the opposition leader when the signed version of the pact would be made public. A bilateral security deal with Australia was signed in 2017, and came into force the following year.

A draft version of the China-Solomon Islands deal sent a shock wave across the region when it was leaked last month, particularly measures that would allow Chinese naval deployments to the Pacific nation, located less than 2,000 kilometres (1,200 miles) from Australia.

The broad wording of the draft deal prompted a flurry of diplomatic overtures from the United States and Australia to prevent it from being signed -- including a last-ditch visit from Australia's Pacific minister -- but they were ultimately unsuccessful.

"Let me assure the people of Solomon Islands that we entered into an arrangement with China with our eyes open, guided by our national interests," Sogavare told parliament on Wednesday.

He asked all of his nation's "neighbours, friends and partners to respect the sovereign interests of the Solomon Islands".
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison faced questions about the Solomon Islands deal while on the election campaign trail Wednesday and said he would visit...