National flags of China and Solomon Islands Photo: VCG

A ceremony was held in Beijing on Tuesday to mark the opening of the Solomon Islands Embassy in China, which was attended by China's top diplomat Wang Yi and visiting Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands Manasseh Sogavare. Barrett Salato, permanent representative of the country to the UN, was appointed as the new Solomon Islands ambassador to China at the event, the Global Times has learned. 

The two countries established diplomatic ties on September 21, 2019. Half a month later, Sogavare paid his first visit to China, during which Solomon Islands officially joined the Belt and Road Initiative.

This visit, from Sunday to July 15, is Sogavare's second trip to China in four years. He has led a delegation consisting of representatives from diplomatic, trade, and other fields, to visit multiple cities and provinces including Beijing, East China's Jiangsu, and South China's Guangdong provinces. They will also visit several companies to explore cooperation opportunities.

Sogavare's visit shows the Solomon Islands' strategic clarity and political wisdom despite facing economic and political pressure from the US and other Western countries, experts said, noting that it indicates "sustainable" and "mature" bilateral relations between the two sides. 

On Monday afternoon, Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Sogavare in Beijing, as the two sides jointly announced the official establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership based on mutual respect and common development for a new era. Observers believe that China's successful relations with the Solomon Islands have set an example to guide future cooperation between China and the Pacific Island countries. 

The Solomon Islands is located in the southwest Pacific Ocean and has a population of about 720,000. It is a popular tourism destination, and has an abundance of fishery, and agricultural resources. 

Sogavare has repeatedly expressed his hope for further strengthening bilateral exchanges and deepening cooperation with China in various fields such as economy, technology, sustainable development, and education. 

Global Times