Solomon Islands prime minister visits China, inks deals

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ANKARA (AA) - Days after breaking ties with Taiwan, Solomon Islands on Wednesday signed several agreements with China during the first official visit of its prime minister to Beijing.

During his meeting with Solomon Islands' Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries was on the basis of the one-China principle, Xinhua news reported.

“[It] conforms to the trend of the times and benefits the two peoples,” Xi said.

The first official meeting between China and the Pacific nation comes after Solomon Islands last month voted to drop diplomatic ties with Taiwan for Beijing.

The move by Solomon Islands dropped the number of self-ruled Taiwan’s allies to just 16 in its constant political tussle with mainland China.

It angered Taipei which condemned the move saying: “The government of the Republic of China [Taiwan] finds [the] decision extremely regrettable."

Beijing regards Taiwan as part of its territory in line with its “One China” policy.

“There is no particular order of friendship,” Xi told Sogavare.

“As long as it is maintained, the friendship will enjoy bright prospects,” the Chinese president added.

During his National Day address on Oct.1, Xi in a veiled reference to Taiwan had urged the promotion of peaceful development of cross-strait relations and vowed to strive for the complete reunification of China.

The cross-strait relations refer to mainland China and Taiwan, which are separated by the Taiwan Strait in the west of Pacific Ocean.

However, Taiwan’s relations and defense deals with the U.S. have, of late, added to the crisis.

China's increasing influence in the Pacific has alarmed the U.S. and its allies in the region.