Solomons deal shows Australia ‘security partner of choice’, PM says

Australia has struck a $190m security deal with the Solomon Island, in what Anthony Albanese says locks Canberra in as the Pacific country’s “security partner of choice”.

China has been courting the Solomons for years as part of efforts to seize on regional disgruntlement with past Australian governments and expand its influence.

The Prime Minister said on Friday his government had “worked tirelessly in the Pacific to improve relations upon coming to government”.

“I started discussions with (Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele) during his first overseas visit as prime minister where he came to Australia,” Mr Albanese told reporters in Canberra.

“And my government is proud to make a significant investment in the police force of the Solomon Islands to ensure that they can continue to take primary responsibility for security in the Solomons.

“It’s also the case that today we reinforce Prime Minister Manele’s comment that Australia is the security partner of choice.”

Mr Albanese said the $190m would be spent over four years and go into budgetary funding, training and infrastructure to help grow the Solomons’ police force.

The funds will build a new police training centre in the capital, Honiara.

“This partnership will strengthen the Solomon Islands’ domestic security, but it will also enhance its ability to contribute to regional stability,” Mr Albanese said.

Solomon Islands signed a security pact with Beijing back in 2022.

The deal let Chinese police officers train up the local force in shooting and riot management on Solomons soil.

Today, only a handful of Chinese officers remain.

Mr Albanese did not confirm if the Australian deal affected the small Chinese police presence.

“We have agreements with the Solomon Islands and part of that is making sure that Australia remains the security partner of choice,” he said.

Uniformed Chinese police have also popped up in Kiribati, with both Kiribati and Chinese officials keeping it under wraps until Reuters exposed it in February.

The new deal comes nearly two weeks after Australia officially launched the Pacific Policing Initiative (PPI).

The PPI, endorsed by leaders at the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum in Tonga, is a $400m pledge from the Albanese government to build up policing capabilities across the region over the next five years.

Among the initiative’s commitments are multi-country police units, including a rapid response unit, and three training centres in smaller Pacific neighbours.

Headquartered in Brisbane, Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Samoa have been announced as the countries to host the training centres.