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Ahead of a White House welcome for the leaders, Biden announced U.S. diplomatic recognition of two more Pacific islands nations, the Cook Islands and Niue. The White House said this year it would focus on priorities including climate change, economic growth, sustainable development, public health and countering illegal fishing. In Baltimore on Sunday, Pacific island leaders visited a Coast Guard cutter in the harbor and were briefed on combating illegal fishing by the Commandant of the Coast Guard, an official said. The White House in 2022 said the U.S. would invest more than $810 million in expanded programs to aid the Pacific islands. She added that Pacific island countries "welcome the U.S. re-engagement with the region, but don't want geopolitical tussles to result in an escalation of militarization."

Persons: Joe Biden, Walter E, Elizabeth Frantz, Biden, Manasseh Sogavare, Washington, Sogavare, Meg Keen, Sato Kilman, Kilman, Ishmael Kalsakau, David Brunnstrom, Trevor Hunnicutt, Kirsty Needham, Don Durfee, Grant McCool Organizations: Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Washington Convention Center, REUTERS, Rights, Pacific, NFL, White, U.S ., Niue, Sunday, Coast Guard, Sunday's National Football League, Baltimore Ravens, Indianapolis Colts, Solomon, Biden, Australia's Lowy Institute, USAID, Vanuatu, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Washington, Cook Islands, Niue, The U.S, Papua New Guinea, U.S, Asia, Cook, Baltimore, Pacific, China, Beijing, Congress, Australia, Vanuatu, Fiji, Kiribati, Hawaii, Palau, Micronesia, Marshall, Sydney

During the three-day meeting, the U.S. will announce diplomatic recognition for two Pacific islands, promise new money for infrastructure, including to improve Internet connectivity via undersea cables, and honor regional leaders at an NFL game. SOME SKIP SUMMITSolomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, who has deepened his country's ties with China, will skip the summit. The White House in 2022 said the U.S. would invest more than $810 million in expanded programs to aid the Pacific islands. She added that Pacific island countries "welcome the U.S. re-engagement with the region, but don't want geopolitical tussles to result in an escalation of militarization. "Vanuatu Prime Minister Sato Kilman will also not attend the summit, his office told Reuters.

Persons: Manasseh Sogavare, James Marape, David Kabua, Fiame Naomi Mata'afa, Joe Biden, Biden, Washington, Sogavare, Meg Keen, Sato Kilman, Kilman, Ishmael Kalsakau, David Brunnstrom, Trevor Hunnicutt, Kirsty Needham, Don Durfee, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Solomon Islands, Guinea's, Samoa's, U.S ., NFL, White, Coast Guard, Baltimore Ravens, Indianapolis Colts, Solomon, Biden, Pacific, Australia's Lowy Institute, USAID, Vanuatu, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Solomon, Papua, Marshall, U.S, WASHINGTON, Washington, Papua New Guinea, Asia, United States, Cook, Niue, Baltimore, Pacific, China, Beijing, Congress, Australia, The U.S, Vanuatu, Fiji, Kiribati, Hawaii, Palau, Micronesia, Sydney

☆ Solomon Islands says Chinese police to assist cyber, community security
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

In a statement on Friday, Sogavare's office said the Pacific Islands nation was broadening its security partnerships, and the Chinese police will add to the existing Australia and New Zealand policing support. Riots in the capital Honiara in 2021 exposed gaps in the islands' policing, it said. Opposition leader Matthew Wale said in a statement "policing is different in democracies than in communist countries and democracies must uphold human rights and due process". The issue was not China's supply of security equipment, but the compatibility of Chinese and Pacific policing, said Meg Keen, director of the Lowy Institute's Pacific Islands programme. Solomon Islands has a population of 700,000, across an archipelago that occupies a strategic position in the Pacific Islands, and was pivotal to the U.S. move west across the Pacific to liberate the Philippines in World War Two.

Persons: Manasseh Sogavare, Sogavare's, Penny Wong, Wang Yi, Sogavare, Matthew Wale, Meg Keen, Lowy, Wale, Kirsty Needham, Lincoln Organizations: SYDNEY, Solomon Islands, Australia's, Islands Government, Royal Solomon Islands Police Force, New Zealand, China's Global, Initiative, Global Security Initiative, Thomson Locations: Solomon, Australia, Beijing, Pacific, China, U.S, New Zealand, Solomon Islands, Jakarta, Islands, Honiara, Philippines, Taiwan, Washington, Canberra

☆ Solomon Islands says Chinese police to assist cyber and community security
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Solomon Islands has denied suggestions by Australia and others its policing deal with Beijing is "a threat to the Pacific region peace" and says China will enhance the capability of its 1,500 police officers in cyber security and community policing. Chinese and Solomon Islands police ministers met on Tuesday, pledging to "promote China's police and law enforcement co-operation to a new level," Chinese media reported. In a statement on Friday, Sogavare's office said the Pacific Islands nation was broadening its security partnerships, and the Chinese police will add to the existing Australia and New Zealand policing support. Solomon Islands cooperation with China and all partners are based on the principles of equality and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity," it said. Australia and New Zealand say Pacific security needs should be met within the region.

Persons: Manasseh Sogavare, Li Qiang, Solomon Islands, Sogavare's, Solomon, Penny Wong, Wang Yi Organizations: of, People, Solomon Islands, Australia's Locations: Solomon, Beijing, Australia, Pacific, China, U.S, New Zealand, Solomon Islands, Jakarta

☆ China, Solomon Islands sign policing pact in upgrade of ties
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/3] Flags of Solomon Islands and China flutter near the Tiananmen Gate in Beijing, China July 11, 2023. "In just four years, the relationship between China and the Solomon Islands has developed rapidly, and we can now say that it is very fruitful," Li told Sogavare. The official added that the U.S. was committed to a strong relationship with the region and strengthening longstanding bonds with the people of Solomon Islands. Xi told Sogavare China supports more of its firms investing in the Solomon Islands and will continue to provide economic and technical assistance "without political strings attached". Chinese telecoms giant Huawei is already building a cellular network in the Solomon Islands, financed by a $66 million Chinese EXIM bank loan.

Persons: Florence Lo, Xi, Manasseh Sogavare, Premier Li Qiang, Sogavare, Solomon, Li, Washington, China's, Xi Jinping, Ethan Wang, Ella Cao, Ryan Woo, Kirsty Needham, David Brunnstrom, Himani Sarkar, Robert Birsel, Mark Heinrich, Lincoln Organizations: REUTERS, Solomon Islands, Beijing, BEIJING, Premier, U.S . National Security Council, China's, Xinhua, Huawei, Pacific Games, Thomson Locations: of Solomon Islands, China, Beijing, Florence, Taiwan, Solomon Islands, Pacific, United States, Australia, U.S, Solomon, Japan, Britain, Honiara, Sydney, Washington

☆ Australian defence minister in Solomon Islands for security talks
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Richard Marles, on his first visit to the Solomon Islands as defence minister, was also expected to meet members of the Solomon Islands International Assistance Force, which includes Australian police deployed in 2021 at Sogavare's request to quell anti-government riots. Marles, in comments before he arrived in the capital, Honiara, said Australia's partnership with Solomon Islands was "more important than ever". Australia is a major aid donor and has a decades-long security relationship with the Solomon Islands. Chinese police have taken an increasing role in training and equipping the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force in recent months, the force has indicated in statements. Solomon officials said Marles would meet Sogavare after a meeting with Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele.

Persons: Manasseh Sogavare, Richard Marles, Sogavare, Xu Qu, Solomon, Marles, Jeremiah Manele, Kirsty Needham, Robert Birsel Organizations: SYDNEY, Pacific, Solomon, International Assistance Force, Australian, Royal Solomon Islands Police Force, Pacific Games, China Police, Thomson Locations: Solomon, China, Solomon Islands, Honiara, Australia, Canberra, Washington

☆ Solomon Islands ousts official critical of close relations with China
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Daniel Suidani, premier of the South Pacific nation's Malaita province, is a longtime critic of the country's deepening relations with China, which culminated in a security pact signed last April. Malaita's provincial assembly ousted Suidani in a unanimous vote on Tuesday, said the ABC. Suidani and his supporters boycotted the vote, ABC said, adding he had not yet spoken to the media about the results. Flights are delayed in Auki, the capital of Malaita, the ABC reported. Residents of Malaita opposed the decision by Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare's government in 2019 to formally recognise China instead of Taiwan.

Leaders and representatives from 14 Pacific island states are taking part in the summit. Washington and its allies want to boost maritime security and island states' communication links with countries like Japan, Australia and India, he said. SOLOMON ISLANDS TIES TO CHINAIn a statement on the first day of the talks, Henry Puna, secretary general of the Pacific Islands Forum, said he was confident the islands and the United States "can, and ... will secure and build a partnership." Sogavare has repeatedly appeared to snub the United States, heightening Washington's concerns. Wednesday's talks included a session hosted by U.S. special presidential envoy for climate John Kerry, who praised Pacific island leaders for a more ambitious global climate target than agreed at the 2015 Paris climate summit.

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