Solomon Islands and China alliance

[sptrawler]

I couldn't find a thread covering this issue and as I think it will end up being an extremely active subject.

My first thoughts with the Solomon Government embracing China is, will it end up in tears as the Solomon Islanders become outnumbered by those of affluent Chinese background?
This may not happen, but it would make a lot of sense from China's perspective, to have there own people there to foster relations and pour money into their businesses.
It will be interesting to watch if this unfolds.

 

[PZ99]

Another Cuban cigar anyone ?

 

[Craton]

Thus, the distortion of the truth is up, off and running to the next level.

Australia rejects claim its security forces in Solomon Islands were told not to protect Chinese-built buildings​

Former PM alleged Australian personnel twice failed to prevent the burning of Honiara’s Chinatown

Australia has refuted claims that Australian security forces deployed to Solomon Islands’ capital Honiara to quell last November’s riots were instructed not to protect Chinese-built infrastructure.

The claim was made by former Solomon Islands prime minister, Danny Philip, who is now the chair of the current government’s, foreign policy advisory subcommittee.

Speaking during a webinar hosted by Georgetown University’s Center for Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Studies and the University of Hawai’i’s Center for Pacific Islands Studies, Philip said his country’s new security agreement with China was born of a desire to protect Chinese assets in the country in case of future unrest.

“A very senior diplomat from the Australian High Commission, said very plainly to us that their presence here was not to protect any Chinese interests, this needs to be verified but as a government it was said to us in no uncertain terms they are here not to protect Chinese investments, Chinese infrastructure.

Later in the article:

During the panel discussion, Philip also alleged that Australian security forces had twice failed to prevent the burning of Honiara’s Chinatown, the first time under the auspices of the Australian-led Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands.

“(A) wave of violence that happened here in Solomon Islands happened during 2006 election … when RAMSI was still here, very much in full presence and also RSIPF and Chinatown and some of our hotels were burnt down.”

“The latest (wave) in November was the same, we have the presence of Australian police and maybe army personnel were here and still we have Chinatown burnt down.”

(My bolds) In fact Australian police and troops which were mobilised within 24 hours of Solomon Islands government’s request made on the evening of the first day of the riots, only arrived in the country the day after Chinatown was burned down.

“Australia was not responsible for the damage done to Chinatown. Australian forces helped to restore law and order in the city at a critical time,” the high commissioner said.

 

[moXJO]

Here's what happened in a 20 second moxjo wrap up:

Solomon govt switched to China allegiance from Taiwan. Not all govt on board.

China was in talks with solomon govt for a $100billion loan. Classic debt trap. That's 80ish times their gdp.

That shitbag Manasseh Sogavare got caught with Chinese money along with a lot of the other greedy buggers

The population finds out and destroyed Chinese businesses.

China sends riot gear and population hate them more.

Don't be fooled by China's bs. They are trying to get control. Hopefully Manasseh is found swinging from a rope.

 

[DB008]

China expanding.

We all know their MO

I trust China as much as North Korea

 

[basilio]

Perhaps we should invade the Solomon Islands and engineer our own regime change ? I mean it would be for there own good surely ?
Came across this story by one of our resident firebrands. Hairy stuff indeed.

Australia must ready Solomon Islands invasion​

There is no way that Australia can allow this deal to proceed. If it must, the nation should invade and capture Guadalcanal such that we engineer regime change in Honiara.

There are other soft power levers to pull first and we should pull them forcefully.

But we should also immediately begin amassing an amphibious invasion force to add pressure.

Australia must ready Solomon Islands invasion

Here is the news: A draft security co-operation agreement between China and the Solomon Islands would allow Chinese military forces to be deployed in the Pacific Island nation and could pave the way for the establishment of a People’s Liberation Army base. The “framework agreement” between the...

www.macrobusiness.com.au

 

[Knobby22]

Perhaps we should invade the Solomon Islands and engineer our own regime change ? I mean it would be for there own good surely ?
Came across this story by one of our resident firebrands. Hairy stuff indeed.

Australia must ready Solomon Islands invasion​

There is no way that Australia can allow this deal to proceed. If it must, the nation should invade and capture Guadalcanal such that we engineer regime change in Honiara.

There are other soft power levers to pull first and we should pull them forcefully.

But we should also immediately begin amassing an amphibious invasion force to add pressure.

Australia must ready Solomon Islands invasion

Here is the news: A draft security co-operation agreement between China and the Solomon Islands would allow Chinese military forces to be deployed in the Pacific Island nation and could pave the way for the establishment of a People’s Liberation Army base. The “framework agreement” between the...

www.macrobusiness.com.au

Create a pretext for war with China?
I don't think so.

 

[sptrawler]

Perhaps we should invade the Solomon Islands and engineer our own regime change ? I mean it would be for there own good surely ?
Came across this story by one of our resident firebrands. Hairy stuff indeed.

Australia must ready Solomon Islands invasion​

There is no way that Australia can allow this deal to proceed. If it must, the nation should invade and capture Guadalcanal such that we engineer regime change in Honiara.

There are other soft power levers to pull first and we should pull them forcefully.

But we should also immediately begin amassing an amphibious invasion force to add pressure.

Australia must ready Solomon Islands invasion

Here is the news: A draft security co-operation agreement between China and the Solomon Islands would allow Chinese military forces to be deployed in the Pacific Island nation and could pave the way for the establishment of a People’s Liberation Army base. The “framework agreement” between the...

www.macrobusiness.com.au

Interesting view, it wasn't long ago the same people were shouting Dutton down, for suggesting China was becoming aggressive and we should be more prepared.
Funny how the narrative can change so quickly. ?

 

[moXJO]

Interesting view, it wasn't long ago the same people were shouting Dutton down, for suggesting China was becoming aggressive and we should be more prepared.
Funny how the narrative can change so quickly. ?

Dutton and scomo are loud-mouthed idiots.
Preparing quietly and not letting incidents like in solomon island would have been a better look. Instead they are running a clown show that is making our position worse than it should be.
Stupid military acquisitions just make them look worse.

 

[SirRumpole]

It's all down to political bribery in my view.

China will do it, we won't.

 

[moXJO]

It's all down to political bribery in my view.

China will do it, we won't.

Oh my naive friend.

 

[SirRumpole]

Oh my naive friend.

Explain ?

 

[sptrawler]

Dutton and scomo are loud-mouthed idiots.
Preparing quietly and not letting incidents like in solomon island would have been a better look. Instead they are running a clown show that is making our position worse than it should be.
Stupid military acquisitions just make them look worse.

It certainly has been handled badly, whether the Government could do anything about China buying into the Solomon Islands is another thing, China can buy its way into anywhere they have a much bigger cheque book than us.
The Government constantly using the China issue as a political point scoring issue has back fired big time, if they had kept their nose out then China may not have been interested in the Solomon Islands.
But they had already bought into the deep water port in Papua New Guinea, so maybe they already had an interest in protecting their interests there and expanding into the area, who knows? But one thing for sure it is turning very messy.

 

[Knobby22]

It certainly has been handled badly, whether the Government could do anything about China buying into the Solomon Islands is another thing, China can buy its way into anywhere they have a much bigger cheque book than us.
The Government constantly using the China issue as a political point scoring issue has back fired big time, if they had kept their nose out then China may not have been interested in the Solomon Islands.
But they had already bought into the deep water port in Papua New Guinea, so maybe they already had an interest in protecting their interests there and expanding into the area, who knows? But one thing for sure it is turning very messy.

We had Dutton cracking jokes about them all drowning and this government treated the islands shabbily. We were meant to be their ally and friend. It gave China the opening they needed.

Even when the opposition leader in the Solomon's in August told us this was serious we still did nothing.

Honestly Scomo will not be treated well in the history books. Asleep at the wheel and reactive at best. What a dud.

 

[sptrawler]

We had Dutton cracking jokes about them all drowning and this government treated the islands shabbily. We were meant to be their ally and friend. It gave China the opening they needed.

Even when the opposition leader in the Solomon's in August told us this was serious we still did nothing.

Honestly Scomo will not be treated well in the history books. Asleep at the wheel and reactive at best. What a dud.

Whether that caused the issue IMO is doubtful, but it certainly gives the Solomon politicians an explanation for accepting China's money, they aren't the only country China has courted with an open cheque book, to think we could stop them accepting a huge cash injection is a bit fanciful IMO.
As you say they haven't been treated as another State of Australia and our pockets aren't bottomless, so really how much aid we can offer them, when we complain about not enough money to pay welfare at home in Australia, how far do you stretch the bow?
They are an independent country and as such can chose who can offer the most, whether they like the outcome is yet to be seen.
When China owns them they might not like it, Fiji didn't like it, when they became tenants in their own country, remember the military coup and the rioting back in the late 1980's.

 

[Knobby22]

Well it looks like the USA will not put up with this, issuing a warning to the Solomons. (We know they are furious with us also).

US ready to 'respond accordingly' if China sets up military base in Solomon Islands

The White House issues a stern warning for Solomon Islands leaders not to allow China to establish a military presence in the region, in a stoush a former diplomat has labelled the first act in "a multi-part play".

www.abc.net.au

 

[sptrawler]

Well it looks like the USA will not put up with this, issuing a warning to the Solomons. (We know they are furious with us also).

US ready to 'respond accordingly' if China sets up military base in Solomon Islands

The White House issues a stern warning for Solomon Islands leaders not to allow China to establish a military presence in the region, in a stoush a former diplomat has labelled the first act in "a multi-part play".

www.abc.net.au

How do we know they are furious with us?

 

[Knobby22]

How do we know they are furious with us?

Not through the media.
Diplomatically we mishandled it and also didn't warn them.

 

[SirRumpole]

I think they were also furious when we let Port Darwin go, but that's another story.

 

[sptrawler]

Not through the media.
Diplomatically we mishandled it and also didn't warn them.

I would have thought we don't do much, that the U.S doesn't know about, my guess would be that if the Solomon's issue was highlighted to Australia 12 months ago the U.S would have been in the loop.
But who knows it is all speculation, but intelligence collecting I think would be way ahead of the curve, Trump was giving China the push back years ago, to think this is just a bolt out of the blue is doubtful IMO.
This Russia/China new world order thing, will be due to a perceived U.S Government in disarray IMO.
The semiconductor chip shortage has been going on for a long time now and yet no one has really come up with a viable explanation for it, but I would think it would be something to do with stopping China and Russia getting access to the technology.
Time will tell, but I wouldn't be surprised if China doesn't buy a few more Indo Pacific nations, what do we do go into a bidding war with them? Best of luck with that.