Beijing has accused Australia of having an "ulterior motive" after Prime Minister Scott Morrison expressed concerns over a leaked draft agreement between China and Solomon Islands aimed at further strengthening ties.
"China welcomes the Solomon Islands to take a ride on China's economic development express and strengthen cooperation in economy, trade and other fields," a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Honiara said in a statement on Wednesday.
"Some people are indifferent to the real challenges and development needs of the Pacific island countries such as the Solomon Islands, but are keen to dictate the normal exchanges and cooperation between China and the islands, obviously with ulterior motives," the official said.
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"I believe the people of the Pacific island countries can see that clearly."
On Monday, The Australian newspaper reported it had obtained a draft copy of a four-page "memorandum of understanding on deepening blue-economy cooperation" between China and Solomon Islands.
Dated 2022, the document, which is not yet signed, stated the two sides would "encourage business to conduct investment cooperation in blue economy" in multiple areas, including distant sea fishing, seawater desalination, wharves, submarine optical cable construction, shipbuilding and ship repair, ocean transport as well as wind power and exploration and the development of offshore oil, gas and mineral resources.
It also said the two countries would promote more pragmatic and efficient policies and support business "to jointly establish marine economic cooperation parks and deep-sea fishing bases", while businesses would be encouraged to accelerate green and low-carbon transformation and increase investment in green technologies.
Asked if Australia was aware of the negotiations between China and Solomon Islands, Morrison on Monday said that his country was "very aware of what the Chinese government's ambitions are in the Pacific, whether it be in relation to facilities such as that or naval bases or other presence of their military in the Pacific".
"I mean they're doing this all around the world. I don't think there's any great secret about that," Morrison said at a press conference in Nowra in the South Coast region of New South Wales.