Isole Salomone tra Australia e Cina

Un’analisi di Lucy Albiston and Blake Johnson per The Strategist: Solomon Islands is now more than 60 police vehicles and 60 semi-automatic rifles richer. In a demonstration of Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare’s leverage of geostrategic competition, he squeezed in handover ceremonies from both Australia and China in one week. But the influx of kit has left lingering questions about the benefit of this equipment, including if sustainment costs aren’t supported. It leaves Australia in a tricky situation—how do we maintain our position as security partner of choice, manage strategic competition and ensure the best outcomes for the people of Solomon Islands? It’s worth recalling how rapidly the Solomons’ relationship with the People’s Republic of China has changed. Honiara switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 2019. Since then, the relationship has entered uncharted waters with the signing of a bilateral security agreement in March 2022 to enhance security cooperation. A Chinese police liaison team has trained a cohort of officers of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force on riot control, using methods that would make Australia uncomfortable if they were used to quell civil unrest, particularly if Australian equipment were used in the process. In October, more RSIPF officers travelled to China for training.

Flashy donations don’t pave the way to being Solomon Islands’ partner of choice | The Strategist (aspistrategist.org.au)