U.S. is "concerned" about lack of "transparency" of China pact with Solomon Islands - WH

A spokesperson for the White House National Security Council said in a statement that U.S. officials would raise the issue with the Solomon Islands on a planned visit to the Pacific Island country this week.

“We are concerned by the lack of transparency and unspecified nature of this agreement, which follows a pattern of China offering shadowy, vague deals with little regional consultation in fishing, resource management, development assistance and now security practices,” the official said.
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*** China on Tuesday confirmed it has sealed a wide-ranging security pact with the Solomon Islands, an agreement Western governments fear could give Beijing a military foothold in the South Pacific.

"The foreign ministers of China and the Solomon Islands officially signed the framework agreement on security cooperation recently," foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said at a regular press briefing.

A draft version of the agreement, leaked last month, sent shockwaves across the region over provisions allowing Chinese security and naval deployments to the crisis-hit Pacific island nation.
AFP