Sogavare visits China again: Establishing diplomatic relations with China is the right choice for Solomon Islands

Less than four years later, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Sogavare visited China again. On the afternoon of July 10, the leaders of the two countries met and the two sides jointly announced that China and Solomon Islands have formally established a comprehensive strategic partnership of mutual respect and common development in the new era, and issued a joint statement.

China officially established diplomatic relations in Beijing on September 21, 2019, and the friendly cooperation between the two countries later came to the forefront, walking in the forefront of China's relations with Pacific island countries, and becoming a model of unity and cooperation and joint development of different large and small countries and developing countries. As Sogavare said, since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the relations between the two countries have been fruitful, and China has become the largest infrastructure partner and reliable development partner of the Solomon Islands. The establishment of diplomatic relations with China is the correct choice made by Solomon Islands.

Access signs in the relationship into a new era

Solomon Islands is located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, bordering the island of New Guinea and Australia where Papua New Guinea is located to the west and southwest, and Vanuatu, another Pacific island nation, to the east. With a land area of 28,400 square kilometers and a population of about 720,000, Solomon Islands is the largest and most populous of the Pacific island countries, becoming independent in July 1978.

After China and Solomon Islands established diplomatic relations, the development of relations between the two countries can be described as leaps and bounds. On October 8, 2019, less than 20 days after the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and China, Sogavare made his first official visit to China and attended the closing ceremony of the 2019 Beijing World Horticultural Expo the next day. During the visit, China signed a cooperation document on jointly building the "Belt and Road", and Solomon Islands joined the "Belt and Road" family. In the same month, Solomon Islands became a destination for Chinese citizens to travel abroad.

After the outbreak of the new crown epidemic, China provided anti-epidemic assistance to the Solomon Islands. At the end of 2021, after serious social unrest occurred in the Solomon Islands, China promptly dispatched a police advisory team to Solomon Islands at its request to assist Solomon Islands in maintaining national security and economic and social stability. China has also successively dispatched medical teams to Solomon Islands and signed an intergovernmental framework agreement on security cooperation with Solomon Islands.

"Solomon Islands remains one of the least developed countries in the world. The main purpose of Prime Minister Sogavare's visit to China is to promote the development of Solomon Islands, and he and his Government are working to free Solomon Islands from the status of a least developed country. Daniel Zhang, chief expert of Solomon Islands research at the Pacific Islands Research Center of Liaocheng University, told reporters that although China established diplomatic relations late, fruitful results have been achieved in many fields. The political mutual trust between the two sides has been continuously consolidated in the face of strong interference from Western countries, economic and trade cooperation has shown resilience under the impact of the epidemic and global economic uncertainty, and people-to-people exchanges have been continuously broadened across ideologies. Daniel Zhang pointed out that Prime Minister Sogavare's two visits to China during his term of office reflect the rapid development of China-China relations, and the comprehensive strategic partnership of mutual respect and common development between the two sides has been fully recognized by the people of Solomon Islands, marking the beginning of a new era in China-China relations.

The South Pacific island countries are full of expectations for China

China's exchanges with the Solomon Islands can be regarded as a microcosm of China's development of friendly relations with the South Pacific island countries. From May to June last year, then State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi paid an official visit to Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Samoa and other South Pacific island countries, and presided over the second China-Pacific Islands Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Fiji. During this visit, Wang Yi had extensive and in-depth communication and exchanges with 17 leaders and more than 30 ministerial-level officials of 10 island countries that have established diplomatic relations, and the island countries fully expressed their pursuit of development, their desire for cooperation, and their expectations for China.

As a Pacific Islands research expert, Daniel Zhang visited Fiji, Solomon Islands and Kiribati in 2016. At that time, China had not yet established diplomatic relations, but during Daniel Zhang travel, it was obvious that most of the people of Solomon Islands and other Pacific island countries were very friendly to China, and they very much hoped to carry out all-round cooperation and establish friendly relations with China.

In July last year, the China-Pacific Island Countries Poverty Reduction and Development Cooperation Center was officially launched in Fuzhou City, Fujian Province. As one of the six new cooperation platforms for Pacific island countries built by China, the center will share its experience in poverty alleviation with Pacific island countries and promote international cooperation such as fungus technology. As early as 2000, Fujian Province concluded friendly provincial relations with the Eastern Highlands Province of Papua New Guinea, and implemented technical assistance projects for fungi and upland rice in Papua New Guinea. At present, the fungus project has radiated from Papua New Guinea to many Pacific island countries, improving the income of local farmers, reaping good economic and social benefits, and becoming a golden signboard for poverty reduction and development cooperation between China and island countries.

Liu Ze, secretary general of the Solomon Islands Chinese Chamber of Commerce, went to the Solomon Islands in 2006 and made a special trip back to China on the eve of Sogavare's visit to China. In an interview with reporters, Liu Ze was full of expectations for the visit: "We expect China to use its technological and market advantages to support the development of the Solomon Islands, especially in agriculture, fisheries and tourism; More domestic companies are investing in Solomon; It is hoped that the two sides will achieve a breakthrough in import and export cooperation as soon as possible, so that more Salomon products can enter the Chinese market. ”

Mutual respect and common development

What is the secret of good and rapid development of China-China relations and relations between China and the South Pacific island countries? In Daniel Zhang's view, mutual respect, common development and the aspiration for a better life are the main theme of cooperation between China and the Solomon Islands and other South Pacific island countries. All countries, big or small, strong or weak, are equal, and the people of Pacific island countries such as the Solomon Islands feel the friendship and respect of the Chinese people, and they hope to cooperate with China to develop the economy, improve people's livelihood and live a better life.

China's Pacific island policy adheres to the "four full respects": first, fully respect the sovereignty and independence of island countries, and insist on the equality of all countries, large or small; Second, fully respect the wishes of island countries and adhere to joint consultation, joint construction, sharing and win-win results; The third is to fully respect the national cultural traditions of the island countries, adhere to harmony without differences, and share the United States with the United States; Fourth, fully respect the unity and self-improvement of island countries, support island countries in implementing the Blue Pacific 2050 Strategy, and contribute to building a peaceful, harmonious, secure, inclusive and prosperous blue Pacific.

In the context of global geopolitical tensions, China's cooperation with Pacific island countries is inevitably disrupted. In this regard, the Chinese side has repeatedly made it clear that China has established diplomatic relations with island countries for nearly half a century, and China is not a "newcomer" to the region, but an "old friend". China respects the various ties that have been established between the island countries and other countries, and the trilateral cooperation that China has carried out with relevant countries in the island countries has been supported and welcomed by the island countries.

At a China-Pacific Island Cooperation Forum previously held by the China (Shenzhen) Institute for Comprehensive Development, Chinese and foreign scholars at the meeting believed that the situation of Pacific island countries is special and diverse, and efforts should be made to help island countries improve communication and transportation conditions, and China's advanced technology in related fields can play an important role in this process. In view of the generally small size and population size of island countries, we can start with small projects and gradually benefit more people in island countries. Although the possibility of trilateral cooperation is affected by geopolitical tensions, active efforts should also be made for the benefit of the people of the island countries.

(Original title: Sogavare visits China again: establishing diplomatic relations with China is the right choice for Solomon Islands)

Source: Beijing Daily client reporter Bai Bo

Process Editor: U027