The Solomon Islands, an island nation in the South Pacific, has temporarily stopped accepting US warships. The Solomon Islands signed a security pact with China earlier this year, which has soured relations with the United States.
The U.S. government received notice from the Solomon Islands on Thursday that it would impose a moratorium on all naval vessel calls until the procedures are updated. A spokesperson for the US Embassy in Australia said it would continue to “monitor the situation”.
When a US Coast Guard patrol boat requested permission to call at the Solomon Islands for refueling and other purposes on the 23rd, the country did not respond. Kirby, strategic communications coordinator for the US National Security Council (NSC), said the patrol ship ended up heading to Papua New Guinea, even though it was a “regular” port call. He added that the US government was “disappointed by the decision” of the Solomon Islands, but hoped that US ships would be allowed to visit the islands in the future.
prime minister statement
In April, Prime Minister Sogavarre of the Solomon Islands announced the conclusion of a security agreement with the Chinese government. It was a major diplomatic victory for China, but the United States and Australia have expressed strong concerns and the battle for leadership in the South Pacific has intensified.
Prime Minister Sogavare said in a statement on Monday that the US Coast Guard patrol vessel had been cleared to dock, but had already left Solomon Islands territorial waters before it was given. He said the moratorium would apply to “all partner countries” until the port call approval process is renewed.
He said there had been a “disappointing experience” of foreign warships entering territorial waters without permission in the past, and that he would “notify us when new mechanisms are in place.”
Original title:Solomon Islands Suspends US Naval Visits as Tensions Rise (2) (excerpt)
(Add the statement of the Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands to the 5th and 6th rows and update.)