ANI
12 May 2022, 18:25 GMT+10
Beijing [China], May 12 (ANI): China's recent security pact with the Solomon Islands has left the western nations concerned just as it unravels its ambition to have a military foothold in the Pacific to challenge the American domination of the region.
Beijing framed the pact as "normal exchange and cooperation between two sovereign and independent countries." However, Australia, the US, New Zealand, and Japan expressed shared concerns about the security framework and its serious risks to a free and open Indo-Pacific," Hongkong Post reported.
Analysts suggest China took the Solomon Islands deal seriously after the activation of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD), the formation of AUKUS, and importantly, the US and the UK deciding to help Australia acquire nuclear submarines.
Moreover, the communist nation has marine disputes with most of the nations that share seas, it is an ardent need for China to expand its maritime resources to protect its trade interests, for which it has been in talks with various countries in the Indian Ocean Region and the Pacific, including Indonesia, Singapore, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Seychelles, Pakistan, Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia, and Angola.
There are said to be plans afoot to get a toe hold in the ports of these countries to monitor shipping in the Indian Ocean and keep transiting naval fleets of other countries. These ports are called the String of Pearls or what China calls the maritime Silk Route.
According to the report, the Americans maintain scores of military bases in over 40 countries, and the French and the British have foreign overseas outposts in Asia, Africa, and Europe. In contrast, China has only one, naval base, Djibouti in the Horn of Africa.
China observes this as a direct threat to its self-claimed control over the South China Sea region.
The West realizes China has to come a long way before it can challenge it on the high seas and the fact remains that if China eventually has plans to establish its naval presence in the Solomon Islands - in the form of "the deployment of Chinese troops and visits by Chinese ships," it will give China a military presence not just near important shipping routes, but between America and its Pacific allies, Australia and New Zealand, HongKong Post reported.
Australia, which has had a security agreement with Honiara since 2017, has been the most vocal critic of the agreement, but countries elsewhere in the Pacific, including the US and New Zealand, have also voiced concern.
Despite repeated denial from China over plans to militarise the Solomon Islands, the security experts continue to remain wary of Beijing's intentions. (ANI)Get a daily dose of Japan Herald news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Japan Herald.
More InformationWASHINGTON, D.C.: Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the Trump administration is asking companies and foreign governments to help...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: The Trump administration is seeking a delay in the legal battle between U.S. Steel and Nippon Steel over their blocked...
SEATTLE/WASHINGTON D.C.: U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said last week that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is...
Pete Hegseth is conducting a poll among the public about renaming the agency he heads as the Department of War US Defense Secretary...
Customers pose for a selfie in front of a Spring Festival decoration at a shopping mall in east China's Shanghai, Jan. 28, 2025. (Xinhua/Fang...
Elderly residents gather to learn the popular AI model DeepSeek at a nursing home in east China's Shanghai on Feb. 26, 2025. (Xinhua/Tang...
BOSTON, Massachusetts: A routine safety mechanism at data centers nearly triggered a regional power crisis last summer, highlighting...
PARIS, France: Air France is making a bold bet on luxury travel with the launch of an upgraded first-class suite, aiming to attract...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: U.S. home construction and manufacturing activity surged in February, but rising costs from tariffs and economic...
NEW YORK, New York - Uncertainty continues to plague investors on Wall Street with Friday's trading being volatile and weak. The major...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: U.S. factories ramped up production in February, with a sharp rebound in motor vehicle output helping to drive manufacturing...
Elon Musk's Teslas' are in the running to take over the transport of Israel's government officials. Musk's company, Tesla Inc., has...