AUSTRALIAN INTELLIGENCE HAD A role in the mysterious disclosure of a secret memorandum about a controversial defense pact between China and the Solomon Islands, which is causing consternation in the West.
Western leaders claim that the pact will
turn the tiny Melanesian nation into a logistical hub for Chinese
warships in a strategic region of the Pacific Ocean. The pact also
stipulates a training role for Chinese police and military personnel,
who are called to “assist […] in maintaining social order” in the island
nation.
The Solomon Islands is an archipelago
consisting of nearly 1,000 islands of various sizes in an area northwest
of Vanuatu and east of Papua New Guinea. It gained its independence
from Britain in the mid-1970s. Australia has historically provided
security for this island nation of 700,000 inhabitants, which has no
standing military. However, China has become a dominant player in
Solomon Islands politics in recent years. In 2019, the government of the
island nation abruptly withdrew its diplomatic recognition of Taiwan
and aligned itself with Beijing.
The move sparked concerns in Malaita, the
Solomons’ largest island, which is home to a sizeable Chinese
community. There were demonstrations against Prime Minister Manasseh
Sogavare in the capital of the Solomon Islands, Honiara (pictured).
Eventually, the demonstrators attempted to storm the Parliament and
depose Sogavare’s administration by force. There were also attacks on
Chinese-owned businesses in the capital, as well as on a number of
police stations, which were set on fire. Eventually, Australian, New
Zealander, Papuan and Fijian troops restored order in downtown Honiara.
In late March, the text of a defense pact between the Solomon Islands and China appeared online.
The pact centers on law enforcement and military cooperation, involving
training programs and joint exercises between the two nations. Some
Western nations, including New Zealand, Australia and the United States,
are concerned
about the possibility that China could use the agreement to build a
military base in the Solomon Islands. The island nation is strategically
located near Australia and New Zealand, as well as near the island of
Guam, which hosts a large American military base.
On Sunday, several Australian newspapers, including The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age reported
that intelligence agencies in Australia were aware of plans by the
governments of China and the Solomon Islands to sign the pact. According
to “[m]ultiple government and security sources”, Australian spies had
known about the pact “for months”. In March, they decided to “encourage a
leak from within the Solomons” in an effort to sabotage the planned
deal. According to reports, the hope was that the revelation would
“build domestic and international pressure to get the Solomons to change
course”.
It appears, however, that the leak of the
secret document was not sufficient to dissuade the government of the
Solomon Islands to back away from the agreement. Solomons Prime Minister
Manasseh Sogavare eventually signed
the agreement with China, arguing that it would “improve the quality of
lives” of his people and would “address soft and hard security threats
facing the country”.
fecha |
Título |
06/06/2023| |
|
05/06/2023| |
|
02/06/2023| |
|
29/05/2023| |
|
24/05/2023| |
|
18/05/2023| |
|
16/05/2023| |
|
13/05/2023| |
|
11/05/2023| |
|
08/05/2023| |
|
05/05/2023| |
|
04/05/2023| |
|
01/05/2023| |
|
18/04/2023| |
|
17/04/2023| |
|
10/04/2023| |
|
03/04/2023| |
|
27/03/2023| |
|
20/03/2023| |
|
17/03/2023| |
|
15/03/2023| |
|
13/03/2023| |
|
08/03/2023| |
|
07/03/2023| |
|
27/02/2023| |
|
21/02/2023| |
|
20/02/2023| |
|
14/02/2023| |
|
13/02/2023| |
|
06/02/2023| |
|
04/02/2023| |
|
01/02/2023| |
|
30/01/2023| |
|
24/01/2023| |
|
18/01/2023| |
|
16/01/2023| |
|
11/01/2023| |
|
10/01/2023| |
|
08/01/2023| |
|
05/01/2023| |
|
03/01/2023| |
|
02/01/2023| |
|
13/12/2022| |
|
05/12/2022| |
|
28/11/2022| |
|
15/11/2022| |
|
08/11/2022| |
|
31/10/2022| |
|
21/10/2022| |
|
17/10/2022| |
|
10/10/2022| |
|
04/10/2022| |
|
26/09/2022| |
|
19/09/2022| |
|
12/09/2022| |
|
05/09/2022| |
|
26/08/2022| |
|
21/08/2022| |
|
08/08/2022| |
|
05/08/2022| |
|
03/08/2022| |
|
28/07/2022| |
|
25/07/2022| |
|
21/07/2022| |
|
14/07/2022| |
|
12/07/2022| |
|
09/07/2022| |
|
22/06/2022| |
|
13/06/2022| |
|
25/05/2022| |
|
16/05/2022| |
|
12/05/2022| |
|
06/05/2022| |
|
05/05/2022| |
|
02/05/2022| |
|
23/04/2022| |
|
21/04/2022| |
|
14/04/2022| |
|
13/04/2022| |
|
08/04/2022| |
|
31/03/2022| |
|
28/03/2022| |
|
25/03/2022| |
|
24/03/2022| |
|
21/03/2022| |
|
15/03/2022| |
|
14/03/2022| |
|
12/03/2022| |
|
04/03/2022| |
|
01/03/2022| |
|
27/02/2022| |
|
25/02/2022| |
|
24/02/2022| |
|
23/02/2022| |
|
21/02/2022| |
|
14/02/2022| |
|
10/02/2022| |
|
08/02/2022| |
|
07/02/2022| |
|
04/02/2022| |
|
01/02/2022| |
|
31/01/2022| |
|
28/01/2022| |
|
26/01/2022| |
|
25/01/2022| |
|
24/01/2022| |
|
23/01/2022| |
|
21/01/2022| |
|
14/01/2022| |
|
12/01/2022| |
|
11/01/2022| |
|
10/01/2022| |
|
07/01/2022| |
|
05/01/2022| |
|
03/01/2022| |
|
30/12/2021| |
|
23/12/2021| |
|
22/12/2021| |
|
21/12/2021| |
|
20/12/2021| |
|
16/12/2021| |
|
14/12/2021| |
|
11/12/2021| |
|
09/12/2021| |
|
04/12/2021| |
|
02/12/2021| |
|
01/12/2021| |
|
29/11/2021| |
|
21/11/2021| |
|
19/11/2021| |
|
16/11/2021| |
|
15/11/2021| |
|
11/11/2021| |
|
10/11/2021| |
|
08/11/2021| |
|
06/11/2021| |
|
05/11/2021| |
|
01/11/2021| |
|
30/10/2021| |
|
28/10/2021| |
|
27/10/2021| |
|
26/10/2021| |
|
20/07/2021| |
|
19/07/2021| |
|
18/07/2021| |
|
15/07/2021| |
|
13/07/2021| |
|
10/07/2021| |
|
07/07/2021| |
|
05/07/2021| |
|
04/07/2021| |
|
01/07/2021| |
|
29/06/2021| |
|
28/06/2021| |
|
24/06/2021| |
|
23/06/2021| |
|
22/06/2021| |
|
15/06/2021| |
|
13/06/2021| |
|
12/06/2021| |
|
08/06/2021| |
|
07/06/2021| |
|
04/06/2021| |
|
03/06/2021| |
|
01/06/2021| |
|
28/05/2021| |
|
27/05/2021| |
|
26/03/2021| |
|
25/03/2021| |
|
23/03/2021| |
|
21/03/2021| |
|
15/03/2021| |
|
10/03/2021| |
|
09/03/2021| |
|
10/12/2020| |
|
09/12/2020| |
|
07/12/2020| |
|
03/12/2020| |
|
02/12/2020| |
|
30/11/2020| |
|
25/11/2020| |
|
23/11/2020| |
|
20/11/2020| |
|
19/11/2020| |
|
29/10/2020| |
|
27/10/2020| |
|
22/10/2020| |
|
21/10/2020| |
|
17/10/2020| |
|
14/10/2020| |
|
12/10/2020| |
|
09/10/2020| |
|
07/10/2020| |
|
03/10/2020| |
|
25/09/2020| |
|
23/09/2020| |
|
21/09/2020| |
|
19/09/2020| |
|
18/09/2020| |
|
15/09/2020| |
|
14/09/2020| |
|
07/09/2020| |
|
05/09/2020| |
|
01/09/2020| |
|
30/08/2020| |
|
27/08/2020| |
|
27/08/2020| |
|
24/08/2020| |
|
20/08/2020| |
|
19/08/2020| |
|
14/08/2020| |
|
13/08/2020| |
|
11/08/2020| |
|
10/08/2020| |
|
09/08/2020| |
|
08/08/2020| |
|
06/08/2020| |
|
05/08/2020| |
|
04/08/2020| |
|
02/08/2020| |
|
30/07/2020| |
|
28/07/2020| |
|
22/07/2020| |
|
21/07/2020| |
|
20/07/2020| |
|
18/07/2020| |
|
17/07/2020| |
|
14/07/2020| |
|
12/07/2020| |
|
11/07/2020| |
|
09/07/2020| |
|
08/07/2020| |
|
05/07/2020| |
|
01/07/2020| |
|
29/06/2020| |
|
25/06/2020| |
|
23/06/2020| |
|
21/06/2020| |
|
19/06/2020| |
|
17/06/2020| |
|
16/06/2020| |
|
09/06/2020| |
|
07/06/2020| |
|
03/06/2020| |
|
31/05/2020| |
|
30/05/2020| |
|
29/05/2020| |
|
27/05/2020| |
|
22/05/2020| |
|
19/05/2020| |
|
17/05/2020| |
|
12/05/2020| |
|
11/05/2020| |
|
09/05/2020| |
|
07/05/2020| |
|
04/05/2020| |
|
02/05/2020| |
|
28/04/2020| |
|
08/03/2020| |
|
06/03/2020| |
|
04/03/2020| |
|
21/02/2020| |
|
19/02/2020| |
|
14/02/2020| |
|
13/02/2020| |
|
07/02/2020| |
|
06/02/2020| |
|
06/02/2020| |
|
23/01/2020| |
|
18/01/2020| |
|
16/01/2020| |
|
07/01/2020| |
|
05/01/2020| |
|
03/01/2020| |
|
23/12/2019| |
|
20/12/2019| |
|
16/12/2019| |
|
15/12/2019| |
|
14/12/2019| |
|
12/12/2019| |
|
11/12/2019| |
|
10/12/2019| |
|
08/12/2019| |
|
25/11/2019| |
|
23/11/2019| |
|
22/11/2019| |
|
18/11/2019| |
|
15/11/2019| |
|
12/11/2019| |
|
11/11/2019| |
|
10/11/2019| |
|
09/11/2019| |
|
08/11/2019| |
|
07/11/2019| |
|
06/11/2019| |
|
28/10/2019| |
|
24/10/2019| |
|
23/10/2019| |
|
21/10/2019| |
|
20/10/2019| |
|
19/10/2019| |
|
18/10/2019| |
|
17/10/2019| |
|
16/10/2019| |
|
15/10/2019| |
|
15/10/2019| |
|
13/10/2019| |
|
03/10/2019| |
|
01/10/2019| |
|
30/09/2019| |
|
29/09/2019| |
|
18/09/2019| |
|
16/09/2019| |
|
15/09/2019| |
|
14/09/2019| |
|
11/09/2019| |
|
10/09/2019| |
|
07/09/2019| |
|
05/09/2019| |
|
01/09/2019| |
|
31/08/2019| |
|
30/08/2019| |
|
29/08/2019| |
|
24/08/2019| |
|
23/08/2019| |
|
22/08/2019| |
|
20/08/2019| |
|
19/08/2019| |
|
18/08/2019| |
|
17/08/2019| |
|
13/08/2019| |
|
11/08/2019| |
|
10/08/2019| |
|
09/08/2019| |
|
02/08/2019| |
|
31/07/2019| |
|
30/07/2019| |
|
29/07/2019| |
|
19/07/2019| |
|
18/07/2019| |
|
17/07/2019| |
|
16/07/2019| |
|
12/07/2019| |
|
05/07/2019| |
|
04/07/2019| |
|
01/07/2019| |
|
29/06/2019| |
|
26/06/2019| |
|
28/12/2018| |
|
28/12/2018| |
|
24/12/2018| |
|
21/12/2018| |
|
18/12/2018| |
|
15/12/2018| |
|
14/12/2018| |
|
11/12/2018| |
|
09/12/2018| |
|
07/12/2018| |
|
06/12/2018| |
|
03/12/2018| |
|
02/12/2018| |
|
30/11/2018| |
|
29/11/2018| |
|
27/11/2018| |
|
25/11/2018| |
|
24/11/2018| |
|
08/11/2018| |
|
07/11/2018| |
|
04/11/2018| |
|
03/11/2018| |
|
31/10/2018| |
|
19/10/2018| |
|
16/10/2018| |
|
12/10/2018| |
|
11/10/2018| |
|
08/10/2018| |
|
06/10/2018| |
|
05/10/2018| |
|
25/09/2018| |
|
23/09/2018| |
|
22/09/2018| |
|
20/09/2018| |
|
18/09/2018| |
|
13/09/2018| |
|
11/09/2018| |
|
08/09/2018| |
|
07/09/2018| |
|
05/09/2018| |
|
04/09/2018| |
|
02/09/2018| |
|
01/09/2018| |
|
29/08/2018| |
|
24/08/2018| |
|
23/08/2018| |
|
18/08/2018| |
|
16/08/2018| |
|
14/08/2018| |
|
13/08/2018| |
|
11/08/2018| |
|
05/08/2018| |
|
03/08/2018| |
|
02/08/2018| |
|
30/07/2018| |
|
26/07/2018| |
|
24/07/2018| |
|
19/07/2018| |
|
16/07/2018| |
|
16/07/2018| |
|
16/07/2018| |
|
12/07/2018| |
|
11/07/2018| |
|
02/07/2018| |
|
29/06/2018| |
|
26/06/2018| |
|
23/06/2018| |
|
19/06/2018| |
|
13/06/2018| |
|
12/06/2018| |
|
02/06/2018| |
|
31/05/2018| |
|
25/05/2018| |
|
21/05/2018| |
|
19/05/2018| |
|
18/05/2018| |
|
25/03/2018| |
|
24/03/2018| |
|
14/03/2018| |
|
10/03/2018| |
|
09/03/2018| |
|