EXCLUSIVE
Chinese police will arrive in the Solomon Islands this month to help ensure security for the Pacific Games, as Anthony Albanese tries to improve relations with the superpower.
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has revealed that China has donated equipment and provided personnel to ensure the safety of the games.
While it is unclear how many officers will be deployed to the Solomon Islands, it shows that relations between the two are strengthening.
Australia has long had an interest in the Solomon Islands and worked closely with the government to help, providing more than $2.5 billion in development aid since 2008.
“As part of the preparation for the 2023 Pacific Games, the Ministry of Public Security of the People’s Republic of China increased the staffing of the Chinese Police Liaison Team and carried out comprehensive security training for police officers. RSIPF police,” Mr. Sogavare’s office said in a statement. .
Chinese police to flood Solomon Islands this month to help ensure Pacific Games security
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare revealed last week that China had donated equipment and offered a small contingent of the police liaison team to help manage the games.
Shadow Foreign Minister Simon Birmingham argued Australia should step up to meet the demand needs of the Solomon Islands rather than China.
‘The Solomon Islands has consistently said that Australia remains its preferred security partner. The question arises: if that is the case, why is Australia not providing any additional security if needed for the Pacific Games? he asked last week.
Birmingham said it would “hope and trust that those offers have been made.”
In addition to the additional police presence, China has contributed to the construction of stadiums and donated equipment for the games, including metal detectors, “unmanned vehicles” and walkie-talkies.
It comes at a time when Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is working tirelessly to improve Australia’s relationship with China.
It is unclear how much additional personnel China has deployed to the region, and this is due to increased cooperation between the two nations.
Shadow Foreign Minister Simon Birmingham argued Australia should step up to meet the demand needs of the Solomon Islands rather than China.
The prime minister traveled to Beijing this week for an official meeting with Xi Jingping, marking the first visit by an Australian leader since 2016.
His trip comes on the 50th anniversary of Gough Whitlam’s historic 1973 visit – the first by an Australian Prime Minister to China – and at a time when relations between Beijing and Canberra are thawing slightly.
The Chinese Communist Party has removed most of its punitive tariffs on Australian goods, leaving just $2 billion remaining.
China is also reviewing its $1.2 billion ban on Australian wine and is expected to remove sanctions at the end of a five-month process.
The rest of the sanctions apply to rock lobster and some slaughterhouses.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese arrived at Hongqiao Airport, Shanghai, for a three-day visit to China.
China’s state media hailed the Prime Minister’s trip as heralding a new departure for bilateral relations between the two nations.
On Sunday, Albanese visited a trade fair in Shanghai where many Australian products were on display.
Albanese reaffirmed his commitment to increasing the detention of Australian writer Yang Hengjun, who has spent more than four years behind bars on spying charges.
Australia is also strengthening its staff in the Solomon Islands ahead of the games.
The Australian Federal Police has 50 police officers on the ground and is expected to deploy another 100 before the games begin on November 19.
The Solomon Islands expect 5,000 athletes and staff from 24 countries to participate in the games, in 24 different sports.
Australian staff will remain on the ground until at least June 2024 to also assist in the upcoming elections, working alongside officers from Fiji, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.
But Prime Minister Sogavare has recently expanded security partnerships with police pacts with China that some critics say represent a “threat to the peace of the Pacific region.”
Questions have been raised over whether China is taking steps to displace Australia as the main security partner in the region.