In 2022, the Chinese Government signed a security pact with the Solomon Islands.

Certain governments, most especially Australia, but also the United States, have concerns that this pact will lead to a full Chinese military base in the region.

One of the most senior US officials in the Pacific has refused to rule out military action against Solomon Islands if it were to allow China to establish a military base there, saying that the security deal between the countries presented “potential regional security implications” for the US and other allies.

Ambassador Daniel Kritenbrink, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, was part of a high-level US delegation to the Pacific country last week.

The fact that one of China's state-owned organizations had previously tried to lease the entire Island of Tulagi, which hosts a deep-water harbor, also implies the possibility of Chinese interests in that direction.

On the other hand, the Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands has has promised the Australian Government that such a base will never be situated there.

Solomons Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare made his first visit to the Australian capital Canberra since his counterpart Anthony Albanese’s center-left Labor Party came to power at elections in May.

“Prime minister, I reiterate again that Solomon Islands will never be used for foreign military installations or institutions of foreign countries, because this will not be in the interest of Solomon Islands and its people,” Sogavare told Albanese in front of reporters before their meeting began in Parliament House.