Solomon Islands’ New PM Signals Sharp Shift Toward Australia, Promises Review of China Security Pact

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale has signalled a major foreign‑policy reset, moving swiftly to strengthen ties with Australia while pledging to review the nation’s controversial 2022 security agreement with China.

After meeting Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at Parliament House, Wale said he wanted to “reset” the bilateral relationship and restore Australia as a central strategic partner. His remarks mark a clear pivot away from the approach of former PM Manasseh Sogavare, whose China pact sparked intense regional concern.

Wale told journalists he would review the China agreement, though he did not specify whether this would be a formal reassessment or an internal government process. In a striking admission, he revealed he had only managed to obtain a copy of the pact just before leaving for Australia, more than two weeks after taking office.

“We are going to be reviewing [it] as we are reviewing other security agreements that we have with many other countries,” he said.

In a joint statement, Wale and Albanese reaffirmed that “Pacific peace and security is best led and handled by the Pacific,” language often used by Australia to counter China’s expanding security footprint in the region.

Both leaders also agreed to begin negotiations on a “comprehensive” new strategic treaty, which they said would deliver “transformational change” in the relationship and significantly expand development cooperation between the two countries.

The Solomon Islands has been at the centre of Pacific strategic competition since signing the China pact in 2022. Wale, once a fierce critic of the agreement, has moderated his tone in recent years but his early moves in office suggest a renewed alignment with Australia’s regional vision.