In 2019 the Solomon Islands signed agreements with China.
In September 2019, Manasseh Sogavare, the prime minister of the Solomon Islands announced Honiara would end its 36-year relationship with Taiwan, and officially recognise Beijing.
A few weeks later, after Sogavare had received a warm welcome in Beijing, he returned to the Solomons having signed five memoranda of understanding, including an agreement for China’s Belt and Road Initiative and having secured a promise from China to build a multi-million dollar stadium in the country. Chinese companies were also granted the right to build infrastructure, roads, bridges and power in order to revive the Gold Ridge goldmine; and a Chinese company attempted to lease the entire Solomons’ island of Tulagi.
After the Solomon Islands population turned against the Chinese in their country, the pro-China government signed an agreement with China to allow China to send their own security people to protect the Chinese in the Solomon Islands.
China’s Belt and Road Initiative with Australia.
In October 2018, the Victorian Premier, Daniel Andrews, signed a memorandum of understanding with Beijing to make Victoria a member of the Communist Party’s $1.5 trillion Belt and Road Initiative, the only government in Australia to do so.
The Australian Federal government had previously declined an invitation from China to sign such an agreement, largely out of concerns about China’s true intentions.
The Federal government only became aware of the agreement after it had been signed.
In 2021, the Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne announced that the Victorian agreement with China has now been torn up. The federal government effectively overriding the state government on this.
China reacted by stating that this rejection could have potentially “crippling” consequences for Australia.
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