BEIJING: Chinese Foreign Ministry rebuked Australian Prime Minister and Defence Minister for deliberately twisting the security cooperation pact between China and the Solomon Islands on Monday.
Responding to Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s remarks that China is building a military base in the Solomon Islands and that this would be the “red line” for Australia and the US, spokesperson Wang Wenbin reiterated that the building of a military base is an absolute fake news.
Wang pointed out that despite that the US and Australia kept scolding the security pact for a lack of transparency, it is the AUKUS that is planned and carried out under the table by the US, the UK and Australia without openness and transparency.
When will the US, the UK and Australia hand the AUKUS agreement to countries in the South Pacific region for deliberation, and when will the US shut down its 800 military bases in more than 80 countries and regions around the globe, which has already raised concerns for the whole world?, Wang questioned.
Besides, Wang said the accusation of Australian Defence Minister Peter Dutton on Sunday that China paid bribes to win international deals can hardly justify itself. Wang expressed strong opposition to some Australian politicians’ smearing of China and provoking China’s relations with other countries.
“Rather than preaching fake information on China for personal political purposes, I suggest some Australian politicians to honestly answer the concerns of people at home and abroad,” said Wang.
Far from backyards of the US or Australia, South Pacific island countries have independent sovereignty and planting Monroeism won’t work in the region, Wang noted.
Since Chinese Foreign Ministry on April 19 confirmed the signature of the security cooperation framework agreement between China and the Solomon Islands, China has been repeatedly emphasizing the legitimacy, transparency and openness of the security pact, refuting the endless slandering and smear from the US and Australia and explaining that the pact’s aim is the social stability and good governance in the Solomon Islands, without targeting at any third party.
