The Solomon Islands switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in September 2019. It was the seventh country to cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan since President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) took office in 2016 — the result of a concerted effort by Beijing to lure away Taipei’s remaining allies and squeeze Taiwan’s presence on the international stage.
China’s motivation is clear: If not a single country in the world formally recognizes Taiwan as a sovereign state, Beijing would be able to argue that it is legally within its rights to annex it.
The Solomon Islands possesses significant value to Beijing because of its strategic location. China’s long-term goal is to diminish and, if possible, erase the US’ military and diplomatic dominance in the Asia-Pacific region.
The Solomons’ proximity to Australia is another factor. Canberra is a key regional US ally and military partner, home to a number of important military and intelligence-gathering installations, and is a vital docking and resupply location for the US Navy. Australia also possesses rich deposits of iron ore, which are vital to China’s steel industry. Some Australian security analysts believe Beijing plans to build a military base on the Solomon Islands now that it has its government in its pocket.
The amount of money that Beijing showered on the Solomons is unknown, but Taiwan had pledged US$8.5 million in funds for its government, which has a population of just 600,000, for the fiscal year covering 2019 and last year. The Pacific nation’s main source of income is derived from timber exports.
In October 2019, the New York Times reported that the provincial government of the island of Tulagi in the Solomon archipelago signed away exclusive development rights for the entire island and its surroundings to China Sam Enterprise Group, which has close ties to the Chinese Communist Party. The Times report said that Tulagi’s residents were shocked to learn of the deal, having been kept completely in the dark by their government.
The renewable 75-year lease included provisions for a fishery base, an operations center and “the building or enhancement of the airport.” It is not hard to envision the gradual conversion of civilian facilities into a military base; Tulagi’s deep-water harbor would be ideal for China’s navy. However, in a rare victory against Chinese expansion, the deal was ruled to be unconstitutional.
Daniel Suidani, the premier of Malaita, the Solomons’ largest province, is one of the Pacific nation’s most vocal critics of Beijing. He has said that he would refuse any Chinese investment in his province, bringing him into direct conflict with Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare.
Suidani arrived in Taipei on May 26 to receive medical treatment for a suspected brain tumor and is on the road to recovery. He said earlier this week that he was denied state funding for medical treatment in his own country due to his anti-China stance. The Solomon Islands government has said that Suidani’s trip to Taiwan was “unauthorized.”
Suidani’s actions have exposed simmering tensions on the archipelago over the central government switching allegiance to China. Many residents, particularly in Malaita, have voiced concerns over Beijing’s treatment of Christians, as well as its anti-democratic political system, and are worried that the government could lose control of the relationship with Beijing.
By providing emergency medical assistance to Suidani, Taiwan has shown compassion and has also achieved a small diplomatic coup that could mark the beginning of another diplomatic reversal.
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