Australia will grant the Solomon Islands 118 million US dollars in aid and boost its police force. As a result, the island state will not have to rely on external partners, explained Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday. He said that the aid shows that Australia is „the security partner of choice“ for the Solomon Islands. With the package, Albanese hopes to push back China’s influence on the Pacific island. China signed a secret security pact with the Solomon Islands in 2022, which put Australia and the USA on high alert. It allows Beijing to send military and police forces to the Solomon Islands and station ships there. A small contingent of Chinese police officers has been stationed in the Solomon Islands since 2022.