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China
Solomon Islands' secret security deal with Beijing survives change of government

Published on 17.06.2026 at 04:00 GMT Reading time 3 min

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale in Canberra, on 2 June 2026. © Lukas Coch/EPA/MaxPPP

The new prime minister of the Solomon Islands, Matthew Wale, had long promised transparency regarding the secret security deal signed with Beijing in 2022. But in a sharp turnaround, the leader recently said he will not release the agreement. For its part, Beijing never really feared Wale's past promises and already has a ready-made model in place to consolidate its influence.

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