Solomon Islands: no permanent Chinese military base

The Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands assured Australia on Friday that there would be no permanent military presence of China. In April, the Pacific nation signed a security agreement with China that would also enable the presence of Chinese police and military forces (China.Table reported). China’s military ships would be able to dock in the Solomon Islands, according to the agreement. This led to irritation in Australia, the United States and other Western countries and fueled concerns that China could establish a permanent military presence far from its own waters.