How drug transfers uncovered the problems of China Islands Solomon | Political News

Daniel Suidani, Malaita’s prime minister – the largest in the Solomon Islands – is in hospital in Taiwan receiving a suspected brain tumor. But the powerful politician is still being bombarded by the Pacific government over drug withdrawals that have confirmed a major split on the 2019 proposal to change the legal status of Taipei to Beijing.

Suidani, who has emerged as one of the Chinese Islands critics in Solomon since the country ended its 36-year agreement with Taiwan, arrived in Taipei on May 26 on a trip that the government has condemned as “illegal”.

The choice of change their relationship to China – known locally as the “switch” – remains unpopular and only complains that the fraudulent influences of Taiwan and China contributed to the decision-making process.

Solomon Islanders who opposed the change feared that economic relations with China would not be possible.

Some have expressed concern over Beijing’s dealings with minority religions and their government, which he says contradicts the principles of democracy in the Solomon Islands as well as many Christian views.

Opposition was strong in Malaita, where anti-Chinese wars have taken place in Auki, the provincial capital.

Since then, Suidani has vowed to reject any Chinese currency in his region, while promoting cooperation with Taiwan that would lead him to disagree with the Solomon Islands’ “China China” policy, which leads to tensions and public tensions between him and the Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands of Manasseh Sogavare.

‘Shaking hands with China’

The health of Premier Suidani has been deteriorating since the beginning of the year.

After being authorized for Suidani to study abroad, his senior adviser, Celsus Talifilu, traveled to Brisbane to arrange for medical assistance in Australia, which cost $ 121,000 ($ 92,700).

Talifilu told Al Jazeera English that the Prime Minister of Malaitan had first approached the Government of Sogavare to assist him, while he said Suidani could work hand in hand between Suidani and Sogavare.

The Malaitan leader refused to accept the offer.

“It would be like shaking hands with China,” Talifilu said, referring to Sogavare’s close relationship with Beijing.

The Sogavare government informed local journalists that their aid had been denied for political reasons.

“[Premier Suidani] he can express his political views against the government that pays his dues, but he should be at the forefront of his life instead of just receiving bad advice from the audience, “it said.

Talifilu, who worked with Taipei to arrange for Prime Minister’s assistance and travel with Suidani, said the request for Taipei’s assistance was “encouraged” by Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen.

But Taipei has ignored his remarks.

“Prime Minister Suidani was the first to travel to Taiwan with the hope of traveling to our country for medical treatment,” said Joanne Ou, a spokeswoman for Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry.

“Considering that Prime Minister Suidani is Taiwan’s oldest and most important ally and that expert evaluation has confirmed the need for urgent medical care, the Taiwanese government has approved Premier Suidani’s visit in the form of humanitarian aid.”

The Chinese ambassador to Honiara is said to have “announced concerns” by the Sogavare Government during a visit to Suidani in Taiwan.

“China strongly opposes any links between Taiwan and other officials from countries affiliated with the People’s Republic of China,” it said in a statement on May 30.

Changing test methods

Taipei’s support for Suidani, the leader of the anti-apartheid movement and one of Beijing’s rivals in the Solomon Islands, is the latest example of public relations.

Throughout the epidemic of COVID-19, Premier Suidani held a public event to celebrate the arrival of relief supplies in Taiwan to Malaita – a donation that was not approved by Honiara.

Taiwan terminated special contacts with Taiwan in September 2019, and was followed a few days later by Kiribati [File: David Chang]

The shipment began after a secret meeting between Talifilu and Taiwanese spies in Brisbane, Australia in March last year and has been unveiled at major Taiwan and Malaitan flag ceremonies.

The program of The Pacific became Taiwan’s defense base but the awareness of Beijing and the Solomon Islands is Kiribati in 2019 was a blow to the power of the Taipei region.

Four Pacific-island nations, Palau, the Marshall Islands, Nauru and Tuvalu – with a population of about 100,000 – are still visible in Taipei. Taiwan is known by only 15 countries in the world.

Malaita, a settlement in the Solomon Islands, has a population of about 200,000.

As China increases its allies, Taipei has taken similar steps, including connecting with Somaliland, an unknown region in Somalia.

“China’s goal is to reduce Taiwan’s influence,” said Sana Hashmi, a colleague who came to the Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation.

“In the wake of China’s violent outburst, Taiwan has been able to deal with a wide range of peers and countries with similar ideologies. [Its] Continuous communication with the Malaita advocates for the strengthening of international co-operation and the non-aligned countries. ”

Hashmi believes that Taiwan’s assistance to Suidani is in line with its “principles of nonprofit” and that his strong relationship with Malaita shows President Tsai’s “willingness to socialize”.

Taiwan’s alliance with Malaita coincided with the magnitude of what Malaita’s liberals did. In 2020, Premier Suidani announced that Malaita had cast an independent vote, seeking to secede from the Solomon Islands and claiming that its territory contradicted Honiara’s Chinese principles as a reason.

One that is at risk

Meanwhile, China’s role in the Solomon Islands continues to grow since the “switch”. It has provided significant COVID-19 support, including the Sinopharm vaccine.

China has lured media outlets by providing cars and computers, two local journalists familiar with Beijing’s press coverage told Al Jazeera.

But the move has been thwarted by doubts about China’s intentions in the country, fueled by attempts by a Chinese man to fail to rent a central island near Honiara, and a leap that shows the Sogavare finance minister in talks with a Chinese businessman for $ 100 bn in debt.

Although Honiara-Beijing’s relationship is approaching its third year, opposition politicians believe that the Solomon Islands of China are unsettled.

“If I were a prime minister, I would go back to the people,” said Matthew Wale, a opposition leader in the Solomon Islands.

He also said that any Wale government could test Honiara’s loyalty to China during the national referendum.

Prime Minister Sogavare’s office did not respond to a request from Al Jazeera for comment.

The Solomon Islands have been plagued by political upheavals, sometimes requiring political intervention. Some fear that international tensions could disrupt peace[File:WilliamWest/AFP[File:WilliamWest/AFP[Fayilo:WilliamWest/AFP[File:WilliamWest/AFP

Between 1998 and 2003, the Solomon Islands plunged into civil war, with clashes between Malagasy and other ethnic groups resulting in the death of at least 200 people.

The controversy began with the intervention of Australia and other countries in the region. The peacekeeping operation, called the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI), took place 13 years ago, ending in 2017 at a cost of more than $ 700m.

As tensions continue between Malaita and the State Government, some fear that the post-RAMSI peace after the country is deteriorating.

“I am very concerned about international cooperation,” Wale said. “I am deeply concerned about this issue which could lead to civil strife.”