Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Rick Houenipwela, minister for foreign affairs and external trade of the Solomon Islands, in Beijing on July 14, 2026. Photo: Chinese Foreign Ministry

China's development of relations with Pacific island countries is aimed at strengthening South-South cooperation and promoting common development, and this should not be disrupted by any third party. Pacific island nations have the right to independently choose their development partners, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday when holding talks in Beijing with Rick Houenipwela, minister for foreign affairs and external trade of the Solomon Islands.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the Solomon Islands in 2019, bilateral relations have maintained strong development, adding that bilateral cooperation has achieved tangible results in various fields and brought benefits to the people of the Solomon Islands, according to Xinhua News Agency.

China is willing to make joint efforts with the new government of the Solomon Islands to deepen communication at all levels, maintain sound cooperation in various fields, and continue to take the China-Solomon Islands comprehensive strategic partnership for a new era to new heights, Wang said.

Wang noted that China conducts cooperation with the Solomon Islands without attaching political conditions, imposing its will on others, or making empty promises. China is ready to strengthen the alignment of development strategies, advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, expand practical collaboration in areas such as green energy, deepen people-to-people exchanges in education, healthcare and youth affairs, enhance multilateral coordination, uphold international fairness and justice, and jointly address global challenges including climate change.

Noting that the Solomon Islands attaches great importance to its relations with China, Houenipwela expressed gratitude to China for its long-term and positive assistance to the economic and social development of the Solomon Islands, according to Xinhua. 

Houenipwela said the Solomon Islands is firmly committed to the one-China principle, supports the vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity and the four major global initiatives, and is willing to make active efforts to deepen relations between Pacific island nations and China, while continuing to step up coordination and cooperation with China within multilateral organizations such as the UN and WTO.

According to Solomon Islands media outlet Island Business, the discussions centered on strengthening practical cooperation between the Solomon Islands and Jiangsu Province, particularly in areas that support economic development and human capacity building. During the visit, Houenipwela also met representatives from Jiangsu Fenghai New Energy Seawater Desalination Development Co. Ltd. to explore possible cooperation on renewable energy-powered seawater desalination projects for the Solomon Islands.

"The itinerary shows that this visit is far more than a ceremonial exchange. The minister's trip placed considerable emphasis on foreign trade, linking diplomatic relations with economic and trade cooperation in an effort to advance tangible, practical cooperation," Chen Hong, director of the Asia-Pacific Studies Center at East China Normal University, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

Chen said the recent change of government in the Solomon Islands had prompted speculation and distorted narratives from some outside observers seeking to undermine China-Solomon Islands cooperation. "This visit serves as a response to such voices," he said. "Since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 2019, cooperation across various fields has developed rapidly. Assistance and investment projects are visible to all, with cooperation taking root and continuing to move forward steadily."

According to information previously released by China's Foreign Ministry, the Chinese Navy hospital ship Peace Ark visited the Solomon Islands in August 2023 and provided medical services to local residents.

China also formally handed over the main stadium for the 2023 Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands' capital of Honiara and helped fund the establishment of the Solomon Islands National University and the National Referral Hospital, according to local media the Solomon Star.

Chen noted that the two countries are now seeking to expand cooperation on the basis of their existing achievements. "The Solomon Islands has demand for infrastructure development and power supply, while China has made remarkable advances in new energy technologies, leaving broad room for cooperation," he said, citing wind power and tidal energy as potential areas of collaboration.

He added that cooperation in education and healthcare is aimed at building local capacity rather than providing short-term assistance, noting that a considerable number of Solomon Islands students are already studying in China. Expanding such cooperation is of great significance for the development of the younger generation.

The bilateral relationship has demonstrated strong resilience. It has weathered challenges in the past and is capable of withstanding external smears and unfounded accusations, Chen said.