Officials from both China and the Solomon Islands have yet to formally sign a security pact that the islands' South Pacific neighbors, as well as the United States, claim could threaten regional stability.

Washington and Canberra have had long-standing concerns about China possibly building a naval base in the South Pacific. Such a development would allow Beijing to project its naval power much further than it can at present.

The Solomon Islands, east of Papua New Guinea and home to some 700,000 people, switched its diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to Beijing in 2019.

Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/user/deutschewelleenglish?sub_confirmation=1

For more news go to: http://www.dw.com/en/
Follow DW on social media:
►Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deutschewellenews/
►Twitter: https://twitter.com/dwnews
►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwnews
Für Videos in deutscher Sprache besuchen Sie: https://www.youtube.com/dwdeutsch