The leader of a high-level government team representing the South Pacific archipelago, on Thursday said Solomon Islands intended to sever diplomatic ties with Taiwan and align with Beijing.
Solomon’s lawmaker, Peter Agovaka, told a parliamentary committee that after four decades of independence and a long-term alliance with Taiwan, it was time to make a change.
“We cannot sit for the next 40 years with our friends, Taiwan. It is time that we make new friends – it’s time that we should move on with our life.
“Our new relationship will deal with a One China policy that recognises only Beijing as the official government administration.’’
Agovaka is a senior minister and leader of a government team, convened recently to speak directly with Beijing.
The government is waiting for a task force report on the issue before it formally decides on a switch to Beijing.
The task force is dominated by lawmakers who support a diplomatic change, two political sources with direct knowledge of the issue told Reuters.
China and Taiwan have fought a tug-of-war for diplomatic recognition in the South Pacific for decades, with some Island nations switching allegiances for financial gain.
The South Pacific has been a diplomatic stronghold for Taiwan, where formal ties with six of the 16 island nations make up more than a third of its total alliances.
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said China was willing to have relations with all countries.
Shuang, however, said such relations must be on the basis of the `one China’ principle that referred to China’s stance that, Taiwan and the country belonged to one China.
Joanne Ou, spokeswoman for Taiwan’s foreign ministry described the relationship with Solomon Islands as stable, adding however that Taiwan was closely monitoring the situation and development.
Solomon Islands has been assessing its Taiwan alliance since new Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare took control after a general election in April and started looking for ways to improve the country’s economic prospects.
The former British protectorate, an archipelago of just over 600,000 people, relies on timber exports to generate income.
The Solomons has recognised Taiwan since 1983. It is the largest of the Taiwan-aligned Pacific countries with access to the airfields and deepwater ports, dating back to World War 11.
Reuters/NAN
