The prime minister of Solomon Islands has assured there’ll by no means be a Chinese language navy base in his nation, saying that any such take care of Beijing would undermine regional safety, make Solomon Islands an “enemy” and “put our nation and our individuals as targets for potential navy strikes”.

He has additionally stated that Australia stays the “safety companion of selection” for Solomon Islands and he would solely name on China to ship safety personnel to the nation if there was a “hole” that Australia couldn’t meet.

Talking completely to the Guardian, RNZ and SIBC in his first media interview since signing the controversial security deal with China earlier this 12 months, Manasseh Sogavare stated it was time for the world to “belief us”.

“Let me guarantee you all once more, there isn’t any navy base, nor some other navy facility, or establishments within the settlement. And I feel that’s an important level that we proceed to reiterate to the household within the area,” he stated.

Information of the take care of China sparked big concern amongst western international locations, significantly language within the textual content saying China could be permitted to “make ship visits”. However Sogavare pushed again towards claims it could result in a navy base within the nation, which lies lower than 2,000km from Australia’s east coast.

“I’ve stated it earlier than and I’ll say it once more, that isn’t in somebody’s curiosity, nor the curiosity of the area for any navy base, to be established in any Pacific island nation, not to mention Solomon Islands,” Sogavare stated.

“I feel the reason being easy; the reason being regionalism, the second we set up a international navy base, we instantly turn into an enemy. And we additionally put our nation and our individuals as targets for potential navy strikes.”

Sogavare additionally stated that Chinese language safety personnel would solely be invited to Solomon Islands by Solomon Islands authorities if Australia couldn’t meet the requests for safety help from the federal government.

“If there may be any hole, we won’t permit our nation to go down the drain. If there’s a hole, we’ll name on assist from China. However we’ve made it very clear to the Australians, and plenty of occasions when we’ve this dialog with them, that they’re a companion of selection … in terms of safety points within the area, we’ll name on them first.”

Nevertheless, the assurances appear at odds with feedback made by Sogavare final week, during which he praised China as a “worthy companion”, whereas saying relationships with some international locations “at occasions can bitter”, in an obvious reference to Australia. He additionally stated he needed China to play a everlasting function in coaching police in his nation and welcomed donations of police automobiles and drones from Beijing.

Sogavare has spent a lot of his time on the 51st Pacific Islands Discussion board leaders assembly in Fiji this week allaying fears that his nation would host China’s first navy presence within the Pacific. He stated: “We won’t do something that can put any member of our Pacific household in danger.”

“What I’ve been saying all together with the signing of the settlement between international locations [is that it is a] sovereign concern of nations concerned. Nevertheless, we additionally recognize that Solomon Islands is a part of the Pacific household. So we’ve ensured the settlement doesn’t in any method undermine the safety of the area.”

Till now, Sogavare has not answered questions from media concerning the safety deal, which was leaked in late March. But on Thursday he condemned journalists for contributing to misinformation, saying: “Our workplace is all the time open. Officers are there and I’m additionally accessible.”

He accused the media of “contributing to misinformation after which blow[ing] issues out of proportion and stated he hoped the interview would “give us the chance to clear the air”.

Sogavare’s reassurances come as different Pacific leaders have raised issues about China’s makes an attempt to divide the area, and fears that China would try to reintroduce a sweeping economic and security deal to the area.

The deal, which was proposed to 10 leaders throughout Wang Yi’s marathon tour of the area in June, was rejected, however China has indicated it is going to deliver the deal again at a later date.

“I assumed they might by no means cease attempting, proper?” stated Surangel Whipps Jr, the president of Palau, talking on the sidelines of PIF. “I imply, in the event that they needed it, they’re going to maintain pushing.”

Palau, which has diplomatic relations with Taiwan and never with China, was not one of many 10 international locations to whom the deal was proposed, and Whipps stated that by excluding some Pacific Island international locations, it “weakens the settlement”.

“I feel it’s an try to divide the Pacific once more. We’ve simply gotten again collectively, let’s keep collectively,” he stated. “If we’re really brothers within the Pacific, let’s make it possible for it doesn’t have an effect on our peace and safety and our prosperity sooner or later. , we respect individuals’s sovereignty, but in addition collectively let’s take a look at how this impacts all of us.

David Panuelo, the president of the Federated States of Micronesia, raised severe issues concerning the proposed regional take care of Pacific leaders in a scathing letter that warned such a safety pact could lead on Pacific international locations to be the “centre of future confrontation between these main powers”.

Discussion board companion international locations just like the US, China and Japan are normally invited to attend a post-forum dialogue assembly, at which they may give shows, however this 12 months the companion dialogue won’t be held throughout the week of the summit. China has been requested to not take part on this 12 months’s PIF by the discussion board chair Frank Bainimarama, the prime minister of Fiji.

Panuelo confirmed this was to present Pacific leaders some respiration room from the extreme geopolitical rigidity.

“That’s completely the sense of our membership,” he stated.

Panuelo stated the regional deal had not but been introduced again to Pacific international locations by China and wouldn’t be mentioned by leaders at Thursday’s retreat.

“It won’t be mentioned. Our subjects are what’s in one of the best curiosity of our Pacific group, issues that affect that 2050 technique, local weather change, the Suva settlement [that resolves the fracture in the PIF with Micronesian countries].”

However Panuelo anticipated it could be introduced again to Pacific international locations when the subsequent companions dialogue discussion board could be held, which is perhaps in September, on the sidelines of the Pacific Island Convention of Leaders.