New Solomons PM to calm frictions but keep China ties

The Solomon Islands’ new prime minister is set to maintain ties with China but there is likely to be less friction with Australia, a Pacific expert says.

Jeremiah Manele was elected as the new prime minister on Thursday. He served as the foreign minister under former prime minister Manasseh Sogavare, who withdrew from the race earlier this week.

Mr Sogavare upended decades of relative diplomatic calm in the Pacific region when he entered into a security pact with China in 2022, ruffling feathers in the foreign policy establishment in Canberra and Washington.

Any hopes for a return to the pre-2022 situation are likely to be dashed, as foreign policy is set to remain the same under Mr Manele with the Solomon Islands maintaining its “friends to all, enemies to none” mantra, Dr Tess Cain said.

“He sees China as being an ongoing important partner and hasn’t given any indication he wants to walk back the security agreement,” she told AAP.

Former prime minister Manasseh Sogavare entered into a security pact with China in 2022. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)

While there had been friction points between Australia and the Solomons, partly due to Mr Sogavare’s “more natural fieriness”, Mr Manele’s former role as the foreign minister meant he’s more a known quantity to his Australian counterpart, she said.

“I think we’ll see something different from Manele, a lowered temperature,” Dr Cain said.

“I’m not aware of any issues with those relationships so there’s a certain amount of continuity.”

The Solomons doesn’t have a standing military, which means there’s no natural ties with other defence forces, Dr Cain said, amid concerns of a Chinese military presence in the region.

“The issue will be what comes next. Will there be a build up in exchanges between Chinese and Solomon Island police?

“What we’ve heard and what we expect to see is a continuing focus on China as an economic and investment partner.”