Chinese Naval Base in Solomons a ‘Red Line,’ Australia Says
- Political fallout raging in Australia over Solomons China deal
- Australia is due to head to a national election on May 21
Scott Morrison
Photographer: Brendon Thorne/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Australia Prime Minister Scott Morrison said a Chinese military base in the Solomon Islands would be a “red line” for his government, while fellow U.S. ally Japan became the latest to dispatch an envoy to the country over the issue.
Morrison is attempting to deflect criticism he did not move quickly enough to avoid a security agreement between Honiara and Beijing. Speaking at a press conference on Sunday in Darwin, Morrison said his determination to avoid a naval base in the Solomon Islands was shared not just by the U.S. but by the Pacific nation’s Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare.