Monitoring Desk
ISLAMABAD: The United States (US) reopened its embassy in the Solomon Islands after a 30-year break on Thursday to offset China’s expanding influence in the South Pacific.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the reopening of the diplomatic outpost represented a “renewal of our commitment to the Solomon Island’s people and our partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region. The United States closed its embassy in Honiara in 1993, following the conclusion of the Cold War, which resulted in a reduction in diplomatic posts and a shift in priorities.
Embassy’s reopening
In the past, the Solomons signed a security pact with China later that year, Washington signaled to reopen it in early 2022. The agreement, drafted by Beijing and Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, raised concerns among Western countries that the Solomon Islands would provide China with a new foothold in the Pacific. At the opening ceremony, US diplomat Russell Corneau, the interim representative in Honiara, said the embassy would “serve as a vital platform” between his government and the Solomons.
According to Blinken, the reopening “builds on our efforts to place more diplomatic personnel around the vast region and engage further with our Pacific neighbors.”
Solomons PM Sogavare did not participate in the inauguration ceremony, but foreign affairs Secretary Colin Beck said that the embassy the event was “welcomed by the government and people of the islands.”
Mao Ning, a spokeswoman for the Chinese foreign ministry, stated on Thursday that Beijing was “ready to work with all parties” to support the island nation’s development. She continued by saying that China has no desire to compete with anyone for influence over the Pacific Island region.
The re-opening elicited varied emotions on Honiara’s streets. Natty Sala, a local artist, called it a “start inside the right way” for better diplomatic relations.
For the Solomon Islands, this is encouraging news.
While Lois Bana, 50, supported the United States’ re-establishing an embassy, she was concerned that it was simply part of “geopolitics” to oppose China’s influence in the region.
