Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has sought to reassure Australia there will not be a military base in the Pacific island nation as a result of its security pact with China.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong met with Mr Sogavare in Honiara on Friday, in Australia's first high-level visit to Solomon Islands since the controversial deal was signed in April.
The deal fuelled concerns of the potential for a military base to be established in the region, sparking alarm in the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Japan.
"Obviously, we did talk about regional security," Senator Wong said.
"Australia's view does remain that the Pacific family should be responsible for our security, and the Pacific family is more than capable of providing that security.
"I welcomed Prime Minister Sogavare's reassurances that there will not a military base or persistent foreign military presence here in Solomon Islands.
"And I welcomed his assurance that Australia remains Solomon Islands' first security partner of choice and development partner of choice."
Education, labour mobility and climate change were also part of discussions, Senator Wong said.
She flagged better cooperation in areas such as climate change after her government nearly doubled Australia's 2030 carbon-cutting targets.
Senator Wong's day trip to Honiara marks her third visit to the Pacific, having already met with leaders in Fiji, Samoa and Tonga since being sworn in last month.
On Thursday, Senator Wong met with her New Zealand counterpart Nanaia Mahuta in Wellington where regional security, climate change and labour mobility were on the agenda.
Earlier this week, Australia played host to Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown, who met with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Senator Wong and Minister for International Development and the Pacific Pat Conroy.
Australia to deliver 200,000 paediatric vaccines to Solomon Islands
During her visit, Senator Wong announced the delivery of approximately 200,000 paediatric COVID-19 vaccines to Solomon Islands.
"It's the people of Australia who are demonstrating their friendship through their government and their willingness to work with you as part of the Pacific family to improve your outcomes, particularly for your young people," Senator Wong said.
"I'm very pleased to announce today that we will deliver approximately 200,000 COVID vaccinations for kids of 11 years and under to try and ensure we can get younger children back into the classroom safely."
Solomon Islands suffered a deadly Delta wave at the beginning of the year, leading to thousands of cases, which overwhelmed hospitals.
Following her meeting with Mr Sogavare, Senator Wong had a private lunch with a number of female community leaders, including Chamber of Commerce chief executive Natalina Hong and senior journalist Dorothy Wickham, Samantha Tuti and Joana Zoloveke to discuss youth, women and media.
Senator Wong's visit comes just two months after news broke that Honiara had signed on to a controversial security pact with Beijing, fuelling concerns of the potential for a military base to be established in the Pacific island nation.
China and Solomon Islands have each dismissed fears among the United States and its allies that it could lead to the construction of a Chinese military base.
Wong's visit an 'important start' to repair ties
Senator Wong criticised the former government for mishandling its relationship with the Pacific leading up to the Honiara-Beijing deal, a situation which she has called the "worst foreign policy blunder in the Pacific" since the end of World War II.
In April, Prime Minister Sogavare lashed out at Australia's response to his deal with China, mocking the Morrison government's complaints about the secrecy around the agreement.
Tarcisius Kabutaulaka, an associate professor at the University of Hawaii, said Senator Wong's visit to the Solomon Islands was an "important start" to repair relationships between the two countries.
"On the question of what Australia does to strengthen this relationship, I think this is a good start with the Labor government in power," he said.
"And listening to what Solomon Islands and other Pacific Island countries see as really important... such as climate change."
Dr Kabutaulaka said he was "certain" China would be a feature of talks between Senator Wong and Mr Sogavare, but said it was unlikely that Australia could influence Honiara's partnership with Beijing.
"There will be expressions of concern from Canberra, but it's also important to note that China is a power to stay in the region," he said.
China is also looking to forge a sweeping region-wide Pacific Islands agreement with almost a dozen Pacific countries, after Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Pacific leaders during his tour of the region.
The initial proposal was shelved after a number of Pacific Island leaders raised concerns about the pact and China's approach, but it is expected to be discussed again during the Pacific Islands Forum meeting next month.
ABC/AFP
