Solomons PM says China security pact must stay secret despite review pledge

The Solomon Islands' new prime minister says a controversial security pact with China will remain secret despite earlier promises to review the agreement that has shaped regional security debate for the past four years.

Prime Minister Matthew Wale revealed this week that his government cannot publicly release the contents of the deal because of a confidentiality clause agreed to by the previous administration.

Wale was elected prime minister by parliament last month after winning a vote of no confidence against his predecessor, Jeremiah Manele.

The China agreement was sealed in 2022 by then-prime minister Manasseh Sogavare, triggering concern in Australia, New Zealand and the United States about Beijing’s expanding security presence in the Pacific.

Speaking in Honiara after returning from visits to Australia and New Zealand this week, Wale said the agreement places legal limits on what his government can disclose.

"Unfortunately, the China Security Agreement includes a non-disclosure provision," Wale told reporters.

"It is legally binding and was entered into by the previous government. We are unable to disclose its contents."

While Wale has described the secrecy clause as legally binding, it remains unclear whether his government could seek changes to the agreement or pursue other legal avenues to make its contents public.

No timeline has been given for the review or what outcomes it could produce.

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese during his visit to Canberra where he outlined his government’s priorities and reassure Pacific partners. Photo/PM Press Secretariat

The prime minister's comments are a reality check for a leader who was once one of the agreement's strongest critics.

Last week during a visit to Canberra, Wale said his cabinet would review the China deal, acknowledging he had only seen the full agreement shortly before the trip.

As opposition leader, he had repeatedly called for the pact to be made public and argued that greater transparency was needed around one of the most sensitive agreements in the country's recent history.

While the review appears set to continue, Wale's latest remarks suggest there may be limits on how much information can be shared with the public.

His office later confirmed to AFP that the agreement would have to remain confidential.

Under Sogavare, the government strengthened ties with Beijing after Solomon Islands switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China in 2019.

Matthew Wale addresses members of the Solomon Islands community in Auckland during his visit to New Zealand. Photo/PMN Solomons

The agreement sparked concern across the Pacific and among Solomon Islands' traditional partners.

Officials in Canberra, Wellington and Washington warned at the time that the pact could expand China's security presence in the region and potentially open the door to a future military foothold in Solomon Islands.

Both Honiara and Beijing repeatedly rejected suggestions the agreement would lead to a Chinese military base.

The full contents of the deal have never been publicly released, fuelling years of debate over what commitments it contains and how it could be used in the future.

Wale said his government wants future international agreements to face greater scrutiny.

He told the media that future treaties should be subject to parliamentary oversight.

Watch NZ Foreign Minister Winston Peters' full interview on the Solomon Islands, among other things, below.

He also sought to reassure regional partners following meetings in Australia and New Zealand.

"The Solomon Islands will not be the source of uncertainty and instability for the region when it comes to security," he said.

Wale was elected prime minister last month after a parliamentary vote of no confidence, on a platform of change, making the future direction of the China relationship one of the most closely watched issues facing his new government.