Beijing and Canberra have adopted different strategies to support policing in the Pacific nation and observers are split on which is proving more effective
At a church hall on the outskirts of Honiara, dozens of community leaders gathered for a training session organised by the Chinese police, alongside local Solomon Islands officers.
Among them is Ben Angoa, who has enthusiastically embraced the training, as well as other things China has provided: solar lighting, sewing machines, soccer balls, and even noodle-making lessons.
“We really love China,” he says.
The sessions – along with the provision of blue uniforms, flashlights and fleets of police cars – are among the many ways Beijing supports Solomon Islands policing. They’re also a powerful reminder of the battle for influence, taking place across this strategically important nation; what Australian foreign affairs minister Penny Wong has characterised as the “permanent contest” to be the “partner of choice” in the Pacific.
