A former leader who supported ties with Taiwan and a China critic have won key roles in the new Solomon Islands government, signaling change for the South Pacific’s closest backer of Beijing.
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale was elected on Friday by lawmakers after his predecessor was ousted in a no-confidence vote. Changes of leader in the strategically located archipelago, 1,600km northeast of Australia, are closely watched by Western diplomats.
China and US-ally Australia are the largest donors and security partners to the Solomons, competing for influence.
Photo: Solomon Islands Government / AFP
Wale appointed former prime minister Rick Hou as minister of foreign affairs, and Peter Kenilorea as the minister for National Planning and Development Coordination, dealing closely with donor countries.
Kenilorea is a member of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, a global group of lawmakers critical of Beijing.
“China might find him a bit awkward,” former Australian high commissioner to the Solomon Islands James Batley said. “He will place a priority on transparency.”
The Cabinet appointments “send a signal,” Batley said, but added that “it is most unlikely that Solomons is going to reverse its decision on relations with China.”
Hou was prime minister from 2017 to 2019, just before the Solomons switched ties from Taiwan to China in 2019, a move he criticized.
A former reserve bank governor, Hou “is experienced in international relations and won’t be intimidated,” Batley said.
Envoys from China and Australia met with Wale on Saturday.
Wale told Chinese Ambassador to the Solomons Cai Weiming (蔡蔚鳴) the Pacific nation was committed to the “one China” principle and intended to work closely with China to deliver tangible benefits for people, a Solomon Islands government statement said yesterday.
In a meeting with Australian High Commissioner Jeff Roach, Wale “encouraged Australia to think big and think long-term to further grow and nurture the partnership,” the prime minister’s office said.
Australia had been the largest donor and development partner of choice over several decades, it added.
Wale also announced the restoration of a ban on the export of live dolphins, a move welcomed by environmental groups.
The previous government had repealed a decades-old ban on the trade on Thursday, the day Jeremiah Manele was ousted as prime minister.
Honiara-based environmental campaigner Lawrence Makili said he welcomed the quick action to stop dolphin trafficking.
“It is the right decision not only to save dolphins, but protecting the tuna industry,” he said.
A company had applied to capture and export 50 dolphins, which environment groups warned would risk the international reputation of the Solomons tuna industry, one of its largest revenue earners.
Although dolphin hunters in Malaita have traditionally killed the sea creatures for their teeth, the capture and export of dolphins to aquariums in China has more recently drawn scrutiny.
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