China on Tuesday said it had signed a wide-ranging security pact with the Solomon Islands, an agreement Western governments fear could give Beijing a military foothold in the South Pacific. “Foreign ministers of China and Solomon Islands officially signed the framework agreement on security cooperation recently,” Chinese spokesman Wang Wenbin said.

A draft version of the agreement leaked last month sent shockwaves across the region over provisions allowing Chinese security and naval deployments to the crisis-hit island nation. As part of these provisions, armed Chinese police may be deployed and it offers Chinese naval vessels a safe harbor. The deal, it is understood, also provides Chinese personnel with ‘legal and judicial immunity’.

READ: China seals security pact with Solomon Islands

Solomon Islands prime minister Manasseh Sogavare’s assurances that he does not intend to allow China to build a military base there has done little to alleviate concerns of the United States, which sees the pact as ‘a concerning precedent for the wider Pacific Island region’.

Concerns have also been raised by Australia and New Zealand.

Where is Solomon Islands?

The Solomons are an archipelago of hundreds of small islands in the southern part of Pacific Ocean. It is located approximately 2,000 km NE of Australia.

There are six big islands – the largest, Guadalcanal, is home to capital Honiara. The others are New Georgia, Santa Isabel, Choiseul, Malaita, and San Cristobal. 

The population is roughly 800,000 and over a quarter live either on Guadalcanal or Malaita. There are are a few thousand people of ethnic Chinese heritage.

In addition there are at least 900 smaller islands.

The Solomon Islands are well over 9,000 km from India.

Why is China’s security deal raising worries?

First it is prudent to point out the islands are a key World War II battlefront that it recognised China only in 2019 after switching from ties with Taiwan.

There were unverified reports at the time that a ‘gift’ of $500 million was involved, as were sums of money to Solomon Island MPs to vote favourably. The switch was hotly contested with Malaita against it, leading to some violence.

In November protesters tried to storm the parliament and went on a deadly three-day rampage, torching much of the capital’s Chinatown area. Reports suggest the targeting of Chinese may have prompted Beijing’s intervention.

The pact is being seen as major shift in local geopolitics since it gives China direct access to the South Pacific, including Australia and New Zealand.

Among the principal concerns are, of course, that China will build a military base in the Solomon Islands; in August last year the island nation’s opposition leader said he warned China is trying to do exactly that.

According to the United States-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, concerns are not just over the ‘deployment of police, armed police, military personnel…’ but also the vaguely worded language.

The Solomon Islands has great strategic significance, as was evident during WW II, when it served as a bulwark for Australia against the advancing Japanese.

There are also fears it could fall into Beijing’s debt trap amid promises to funnel billions in mega infrastructure projects by Chinese firms. According to the Guardian China already takes over 90% (by weight) of its extractive resources.

Finally, the Solomon Islands also sits on critical shipping routes, meaning China could potentially control maritime traffic in and around the region.

Of course, the China-Solomon Islands pact also asks questions of the much-vaunted AUKUS – Australia, the United Kingdom and the US – partnership, since the Solomon Islands has moved towards China rather than the Australia, and the West bloc, raising doubts over other Pacific island nations’ future steps.

Does the China-Solomon Islands pact affect India?

Directly, and perhaps immediately, no. The islands are a significant distance from mainland India and even the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. China’s advances in the region, however, will be a cause for concern even in Delhi. 

With input from AFP, Reuters