The Latest Breaking News from Solomon Islands

A senior U.S. diplomat will travel to Samoa on Thursday on a multi-leg trip to Pacific Island countries intended to demonstrate re-engagement by the United States with a region in which China has been extending its influence.

All stories are to be approved by the government before broadcast on the SIBC, prompting grave concerns about press freedom

Get up to speed on today's headlines with The Loop.

Shell money is one of the traditional ways to say "I love you" in Solomon Islands. But as Australian-based Solomon Islander Terry Wong discovered, finding the sought after currency for his bride-to-be is no easy feat.

The U.S. is sending a high-profile diplomatic delegation to visit the Solomon Islands next week led by Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and including Ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy

Caroline Kennedy is sworn in as the new United States ambassador to Australia in Canberra. She will travel to the Solomon Islands next week to mark the Battle of Guadalcanal and suggests the US will continue to expand its Pacific footprint.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and U.S. Ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy plan next month to visit the Solomon Islands, where their fathers fought in World War Two and the United States is in a modern-day battle for influence with strategic rival China.

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare says his new country’s security pact with Beijing would not allow China to build a military base on the South Pacific nation

Despite both prime ministers coming to an understanding on the controversial issue, Chinese assistance in Solomon Islands hasn't been entirely ruled out.