Editorial_23.09.2022

The UN General Assembly is a good opportunity for high-level political talks. China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi used his stay in New York for a confidential meeting with his counterpart from the Solomon Islands. Relationship-building is important because China has a special interest in the Solomon Islands, as became very clear nearly five months ago when a security agreement between the two countries caused much discussion. A draft of the secret paper had been leaked to the public, which fueled suspicions that China might be planning to establish a permanent military presence in the island nation. Since then, it has become quiet around the matter. But it is a deceptive silence, analyzes Michael Radunski. He explains how the People’s Republic is continuously expanding its influence over the island nation.