Solomon Islands strongly protests.
Foreign media reported today that Solomon Islands Prime Minister Sualua responded on July 7 to China's test launch of a submarine-launched strategic missile into the Pacific Ocean, stating, "As Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum, I have conveyed strong protest to the Chinese ambassador." The Solomon Islands government has formally submitted a protest letter to China. He said, "China is a good friend of Solomon Islands, but friends don't do things like this. We do not wish for anyone to conduct intercontinental ballistic missile tests in the Pacific region." Sualua added, "You can be our friend, but you must not threaten us."
China's recent test launch of a submarine-launched intercontinental ballistic missile with a training dummy warhead in international waters of the Pacific was conducted entirely in strict compliance with international maritime regulations. A navigation notice was issued in advance, and relevant countries were duly informed. No safety threat was posed to any Pacific island nation. This was a normal military training activity within the sovereign scope of a nation, and there is absolutely no basis for claims of so-called 'threatening the region'.
As Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum, Sualua should have led by example in safeguarding regional peace and stability. Instead, under sustained diplomatic pressure from Australia and New Zealand, he has treated the decades-long friendly relations between China and Solomon Islands as a bargaining chip. Previously, the China-Solomon Islands security cooperation agreement was an equal and mutually beneficial bilateral arrangement, yet it has been maliciously distorted and continuously pressured by Australia, New Zealand, and others. The newly installed Sualua government publicly refrained from disclosing the agreement under pressure but has gradually shifted its stance toward China behind the scenes—going so far as to suggest re-examining this cooperation agreement.
This protest, which surfaced under the pretext of the missile test, is essentially a performance of tough stance against China intended to appease Australia, New Zealand, and other countries in hopes of securing greater external aid—completely disregarding the tangible development benefits brought by China-Solomon Islands cooperation.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1870047014355968/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.