One of the top US officials in the Pacific has refused to rule out military action against the Solomon Islands if China would allow a military base there, saying the security deal between the countries presented “potential regional security implications” for the Solomon Islands US and other allies.
Ambassador Daniel Kritenbrink, Deputy Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, was part of a senior US delegation to the Pacific country last week.
He said the US team, which included National Security Council coordinator for Indo-Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell, had a 90-minute “constructive and candid” meeting with Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, during which the US team have detailed his concerns about his recently signed security deal with China.
“We wanted to share our concerns with our friends in the Solomon Islands,” said Kritenbrink. “Prime Minister Sogavare pointed out that from the perspective of the Solomon Islands, the agreement concluded by the Solomon Islands has only domestic implications. But we have made it clear that the deal has potential regional security implications not only for ourselves, but also for allies and partners across the region.”
On Tuesday, Kritenbrink reiterated US readiness to act in the region should China establish a military base.
“Of course we respect the Solomon Islands’ sovereignty, but we also wanted them to know that we would have significant concerns if steps were taken to establish a de facto permanent military presence, power projection capabilities or a military installation, and we very naturally would.” respond to those concerns,” he said.
When asked what that answer might entail, he said, “Look, I’m not going to speculate and I’m in no position to speak about what the United States might or might not do in such a situation.”
He pressed whether he would rule out the prospect of the US taking military action against the Solomon Islands if a naval base were to be established, and if not whether he agreed with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s speech that the base would be a “red line” for Australia he said: “I don’t have much to add beyond what I’ve already said.”
In a statement last week, the Biden administration said the US would “act accordingly” if China were allowed to establish a long-term presence in the islands, while noting Sogavare’s assurances that he had no intention of establishing a military base allow.
Rhetoric escalated after the statement as Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia had “the same red line” as the US when it came to China’s involvement in the Solomon Islands, and Defense Secretary Peter Dutton used his Anzac Day speech on Monday, to declare “Australia should prepare for war” and claimed that China is “on a very deliberate course at the moment”.
Kritenbrink also referred to China’s military ambitions, saying: “I think it’s important to remember in this context that we know that the PRC [People’s Republic of China] attempted to build more robust overseas logistics and basic infrastructure that would enable the PLA [People’s Liberation Army] to project and maintain military power at greater distances. So we wanted to have this open conversation with our friends in the Solomon Islands. We have set out our concerns… and we have indicated that we will continue to monitor the situation closely and will continue to address them in the future.”
The text of the security agreement signed by China and Solomon Islands is classified, although Solomon Islands MPs have urged the prime minister to release it publicly.
“I think it’s clear that only a handful of people in a very small circle saw this agreement. And the prime minister himself has been publicly quoted as saying he would only share the details with China’s permission, which I think is also a concern,” Kritenbrink said.
However, a draft of the deal was leaked on social media last month and included provisions allowing China to “carry out ship visits to the Solomon Islands, conduct logistical replenishment, and make stopovers and crossings.”
Kritenbrink said that “the United States of America has no role in asking countries to choose between the United States and China or anyone else.” But that it is keen to “foster a proactive vision for the common interests and principles that we believe are vital to all of our friends in the region.”