ESTABLISHING relations with China in September this year puts us on the right side of history by joining 121 countries in upholding the UN resolution 2758.
That’s according to Foreign Affairs Minister Jeremiah Manele.
He was speaking in parliament yesterday on the motion of sine-die.
Manele said the people and parliament must be informed that the communique establishing such relations is based on the United Nation Charter Principles.
“Such as mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in each other’s international affairs, equality, mutual benefit and peaceful coexistence,” he said.
The government’s decision to switch from Taiwan to China has caused mixed reactions from different provinces in the country.
It’s also understood that Malaita provincial leaders refused to accept any China assistance and also demand the national government for Malaita to be a state of its own.
There were also mixed feelings among the people of Solomon Islands that the country will become a communist state.
But Manele said these are all rumours.
“Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Vanuatu and other countries in the Pacific region that have diplomatic relations with China have not become Communist States.
“Rather with the help of China they are well ahead of Solomon Islands in terms of infrastructure development,” he added.
He further stressed that the country’s relationship with China has opened new opportunities.
“Opportunities exist for provincial, national, regional and international cooperation from education to health and from sports to infrastructure development,” Manele said.
It’s also understood that Solomon Islands now has the leverage to play with its traditional partners.
Manele said the country’s new relations with China will complement the existing relations and support from the traditional partners such as Australia, New Zealand, Japan and European Union.
He believed that the other side of the House (Opposition Group) knows that the Government has made the right decision but they have decided to politicise the issues and of course have their own agendas.
By ANDREW FANASIA
