US and Solomon Islands discuss deepening ties, return of Peace Corps

WASHINGTON - US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau met Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale to discuss deepening ties and signed a letter of intent to return the Peace Corps to the islands after more than 25 years, the State Department said on July 21.

The Solomon Islands, located about 2,000km north-east of Australia, is viewed by analysts as having the closest ties among Pacific nations to China, the biggest US strategic rival, after signing a security pact with Beijing in 2022. This prompted concern from the United States, which has sought to bolster its ties in the strategically important region.

The State Department said that during the meeting, which took place on July 20, Landau and Wale discussed initiatives aimed at promoting investment in the Solomons.

Landau also announced that the State Department would provide US$6 million (S$7.75 million) in new funding to expand its programme to remove unexploded World War II ordnance from the islands, where the Battle of Guadalcanal was fought between the US and Japan.

Landau is acting director of the Peace Corps, a US government program that places volunteers in developing countries.

In an online post, the Peace Corps said that between 1971 and 2000, more than 700 of its volunteers worked on education, community development and health initiatives in the Solomon Islands. It suspended its activities there in 2000 due to political unrest.

Last week, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi met his Solomon Islands counterpart after China's military test-fired a missile with a dummy warhead from a nuclear-powered submarine into the South Pacific.

The launch drew criticism from regional countries, including the Solomons. Wale said after the test that China is "a good friend of Solomon Islands, but this is not something a friend does”, while vowing stronger ties with Australia. REUTERS