Solomon Islands MP Peter Kenilorea Jnr questioned by Foreign Minister over Taiwan trip

A Solomon Islands MP who has joined an international group of parliamentarians concerned about the role of Chinese influence in their countries says his own Foreign Minister questioned why he was travelling to Taiwan.

Peter Kenilorea Jnr is one of the newest parliamentarians to join the International Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) which comprises 250 parliamentarians from a broad range of political parties from 35 countries around the world.

Mr Kenilorea was elected to the Solomon Islands’ parliament in 2019. He leads the United Party, founded by his father — the former prime minister Peter Kenilorea. His party won six of the Parliament’s 50 seats at the last election.

Mr Kenilorea Jnr is a critic of the 2022 security agreement between the Solomon Islands and China that was signed by former prime minister Manasseh Sogavare who, in 2019 also ended the Pacific Island nation’s 36-year ties with Taiwan in favour of Beijing.

These positions have been continued by Jeremiah Manale who in May this year replaced Sogavare as Prime Minister after the general election.

Mr Kenilorea’s party pledges to invite Taiwan back as a development partner of the Solomon Islands.

In an exclusive interview with The Nightly at the IPAC’s summit in Taipei, he said his own foreign minister contacted him querying his travel to Taiwan — the self-governing island that China’s President Xi Jinping says he wants to take over, and by using military force, if necessary.

“My (country’s) minister of foreign affairs contacted me directly, saying my being here is not sanctioned by the Government,” he said.

“I found it quite strange that he would even say that to me, as indeed my visit and membership of IPAC are my own personal decisions, but I’m not surprised given the circumstances.

“It is definitely inappropriate, and I would have thought my minister would have known that.”

The Solomon Islands Government issued a statement saying Mr Kenilorea’s attendance at the “anti-China” summit was an attempt to harm Honiara’s relations with China and that Taiwan was an “integral part of the People’s Republic of China.”

“Calls for resumption of relations with Taiwan, China, by Peter Kenilorea are regrettable and disappointing,” the Government’s statement said.

“Taiwan remains part of China and is referred to as ‘Taiwan, China’.

The Manele Government needs to reassure the people of Solomon Islands that relationships with other countries are not taking priority over respecting the rights of citizens, including MPs.

“The Government and people of Solomon Islands distance ourselves from such divisive posture of interfering into an internal affair of another state.”

Ahead of the summit, MPs from at least six other countries travelling to Taiwan said they had been pressured by Chinese diplomats not to attend the conference, which was addressed by Taiwan’s President and Vice-President.

“The difference with what’s happening with our other members is that it’s the Chinese embassies that are directly getting the pressuring them,“ Mr Kenilorea said.

“For us in the Solomons, it’s our government which for me paints a picture that we’ve completely sold out.

“It’s not surprising.”

China’s Foreign Minister spokesman Lin Jian reacted angrily to the IPAC gathering, telling journalists at a regular briefing in Beijing: “The so-called ‘alliance’ you mentioned is hellbent on attacking China on various issues and spreading lies and rumours about China and has no credibility to speak of.”

“Let me stress once again that ‘Taiwan independence’ is as incompatible with cross-Strait peace as fire with water.”

Mr Kenilorea believed that his country could still realign with its natural and historic partners of choice.

He urged Australians to remember that the position of the government did not reflect the views of ordinary Solomon Islanders, many of whom believed that their natural partner was not China but Australia, the United States and others.

Details of the security pact between the Solomons and China were revealed just before the 2022 election and caused huge embarrassment for the then-coalition government led by Scott Morrison.

The agreement sparked concerns that it could pave the way for a permanent Chinese military presence or even a naval base in the region.

Mr Kenilorea said the agreement had put regional stability and security at risk and that it was a deal struck between China and the Solomon Islands’ then leadership and not its people.

“For us, there’s a recognition, that Australia has been our partner of choice for development and security for as long as I can remember,” he said.

“Australia’s our biggest bilateral partner bar none, it gives ten times more than what the PRC gives.”

But he said Australia should step up its contributions to the Pacific in terms of the hard infrastructure it could provide.

“The battleline in the Solomons, and I would say in the Pacific Islands, is infrastructure,” he said.

“We’re talking about climate proofing, roads, bridges — those sorts of things, and they’re starting to do that.

“Australia’s stepped in now, they’re doing roads now, they’ve done that in the past but I think they’ve redoubled that now.”

One of Australia’s leading experts on the Pacific Islands, Dr Tess Newton-Cain from the Griffith Asia Institute said the Manele government’s actions were disappointing.

“Kenilorea’s position has always been trenchant and he has been very vocal about his concerns regarding the relationship between Solomon Islands and China,” Dr Newton-Cain said.

“It is disappointing to see this approach from the Manele Government and is reminiscent of what we saw previously with regards to then-premier of Malaita, Daniel Suidani.

“The relationship between Solomon Islands and China is very strong as we know.

“The Manele Government needs to reassure the people of Solomon Islands that relationships with other countries are not taking priority over respecting the rights of citizens, including MPs.”

Earlier this year Prime Minister Manale made his first overseas trip to Canberra to visit Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the two countries agreed that Australia would increase the Solomons’ policing force.