Diplomatic Briefing
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Newsline: China, Solomon Islands establish diplomatic relations
China and the Solomon Islands have established diplomatic relations days after the Pacific island nation severed ties with Taiwan. China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi and the Solomon Islands’ Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeremiah Manele signed an agreement to form ties at a government guest house in the Chinese capital, Beijing, on Saturday. “We look forward to the quick development of bilateral relations between China and the Solomons,” said Wang, pledging to support the country in moving “forward in the development path it has chosen for itself”. (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/09/china-solomon-islands-establish-diplomatic-relations-190921111348417.html) Manele said the Solomon Islands’ decision to switch diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China – its largest trading partner – was based on “national needs”. “The development challenges for our country are huge. We need a broader partnership with countries that also includes China,” he said. The move marks a setback for Taiwan, which has been a de facto sovereign nation since the end of a civil war in 1949. China still views the island as its territory and has promised to seize it – by force if necessary.
Newsline: Solomons to set up three more foreign missions
Solomon Islands is setting up three new overseas missions in Switzerland, Cuba and New Zealand. The Government says the establishment of new missions is an important strategic move for future development. The country’s ambassador to the United Nations inNew York, Colin Beck, says working out staffing is one of the hurdles. “We have actually already established an embassy account inCuba, we’ve looked at the administrative arrangement as well as accommodation. So really, we are talking about time frame in which to deploy staff, and at the moment looking at trying to have staff move as soon as practical, before the end of the year. That applies to both the Havana office as well as to the Geneva office.” While the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is confident the Havana and Geneva missions will be fully operational by the end of the year, it is still not clear when the New Zealand Mission will be established.
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