China focuses on the Solomon Islands: A seemingly small move is part of a big plan

Recently China signed a cooperation agreement with the Solomon Islands ostensibly to provide “social order, protect lives and property, respond to natural disasters, and provide humanitarian aid.”  All of which they are already getting from Australia.

We need not be surprised in light of the fact that China has openly proclaimed that as part of their Great Rejuvenation of 2049 it seeks to reverse the U.S. hold on partnerships and alliances in the Pacific.

The Solomon Islands form a nation that has a population just over of 700,000.

So, why the Solomons? There are few ethnic ties to China (though China makes them seem substantial), it certainly is not a military power, and its trade with China is not a major contributor that country’s economy (though any business ties no matter how small can be used as a pretext for needing Chinese intervention).

What the Solomons offer China, in its inexorable effort to dominate in the Pacific, is a foot-in-the-door for possibilities for influencing shipping lanes, potentially putting a military base nearer the shores of Australia, and gaining control of a nation previously tied very closely to both Australia and the U.S.

Other new possibilities include building a port on the Solomons’ island of Tulagi. The deep-water port offers obvious military and commercial possibilities.

The Communist Party of China (CCP) in executing their Great Rejuvenation, is content for the moment in picking off nations that can be bullied and are led by officials that can be bought off.

Australia is a nation that will not easily be bullied or bribed, so other tactics are necessary as is apparently the case of getting into a strong position in the Solomon Islands.  For the Chinese, the Solomons are really about Australia.

Australia is worried about this move, a worry that Solomon prime minister, Mannasseh Sogavare ridicules angrily.

As reported by the BBC, Sogavare told his country’s parliament, “we deplore the continual demonstration of lack of trust by the concerned parties, and tacit warning of military intervention in Solomon Islands (sic) if their national interest is undermined in Solomon Islands.”

This is obviously the result of information operations aimed at deflecting attention from the real Chinese threat to other nations in the Pacific.

Sogavare, though, shows further signs of being influenced by China’s support of Russia in its illegal aggressive war in Ukraine.

He told parliament, “There [are] two sides to every situation we see happening in the world today, including the Ukraine crisis, where the Western world is trying to get every nation to condemn,” according to the Australia Broadcasting Corporation (known as ABC). 

This is an outrageous claim and it shows a sentiment about Russia that is supported only by China, and minor players North Korea and Belarus. For a freely elected figure, such as Sogavare, to make such a claim can only mean a lot of money has been spread around.

China’s investments, including continual payoffs to politicians, as well as the prospect of much more money to come if military bases are built, or ports are upgraded, drive operations. This precludes the need for China to interfere with local politics directly. 

For China it is only business.

This is a replication of a method of gaining a measure of control.

As reported by the New York Times, “it has done so from Djibouti to Pakistan to Cambodia, where China has launched infrastructure projects that helped it gain access to strategic ports.”

In the case of the Solomon Islands there is an added benefit to China by putting it in a stronger position to influence commercial shipping operations and to launch military operations against Australia.

To be clear, Australia will not be invaded soon, China is obviously hoping to get into Australia’s political-military decision-making process about the future between the two countries.  If Australia will not willingly become part of the Chinese sphere of influence, some muscle will be necessary in the form of diplomatic, economic and military means in addition to the ubiquitous economic clout China currently wields worldwide. This is designed to happen over time.

China is not given to brute force when other means yield desired effects.  A Russian-like attack as in Ukraine is not in the cards anytime soon for China but the insidious nature of their activities is nevertheless felt and will gain strength if left unchecked.

The U.S. and other Australian allies, including Japan and South Korea, should conduct business and information campaigns, military buildup and exercises to counter China’s intended long-term takeover of the region.

The CCP’s intent is obvious. The intent of our allies to stop it must be just as clear.

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James Hutton is a former assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and is a retired colonel in the U.S. Army. Follow him on Twitter @jehutton

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