Pacific should decide its own fate

SOME countries are still taking a looking-down attitude towards Pacific Island countries which have gained independence several decades ago.
When a draft of the China-Solomon Islands security cooperation agreement was leaked, Australia immediately interfered in Solomon’s decision making to try to abort the cooperation with China.
So why cannot it cooperate with China?
Why should Pacific Island countries only do what Australia allows us to do?
Papua New Guinea gained independence in 1975 and Solomon Islands became independent in 1978.
All of us Pacific Island countries are independent and sovereign countries, and have the right to develop our bilateral relations with other countries for our own interests.
As a neighbour, Australia has an obligation to provide assistance to regional stability and development, which is good for Australia itself and island countries, but Australia has no right to interfere in our internal affairs.
The Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare had to refute the speculation that China wanted to build a military base in the Solomons, stating that his government had no intention to ask China to build a military base in Honiara.
Sogavare reassured Australia that Solomons’ security concerns were domestically focused and complimented current bilateral security agreement with Australia and the regional security architecture.
Pacific Island countries share a historical bond with Australia and the United States, but do not always share the same national interest. They give us assistance, but also things such as offshore detention centre, nuclear test, and nuclear submarine which Australia plans to acquire with the help of the US and United Kingdom.
Pacific Island countries do what is in the best interest of their nation and people, not those of Australia or the US.
Our independence and sovereignty should be in no circumstance undermined. This region is a platform for cooperation, not a battlefield for geopolitics.
Solomon Islands has a foreign policy of making friends and not making enemies, same as PNG.
In addition to countries in this region, PNG and Solomons need more international partners and bigger development space.
We can’t get used to being instructed by one country to give up the bigger world.
Otherwise, our development will be slow and our voice will never get attentions.

Nicholas Liosi