Solomon Islands PM Matthew Wale vows to review secret 2022 pact with China
Wale, the Solomon Islands' prime minister, says the deal contains a non‑disclosure clause and he only saw it days before flying to Australia; he and Australia's Anthony Albanese will begin talks on a new comprehensive treaty.
Jun 2, 2026, 10:13 PM EDT
Why it matters: Matthew Wale's review could pull the Solomon Islands away from Beijing and give Canberra a chance to rewrite security ties in the South Pacific. The move raises the stakes for regional policing, aid and infrastructure deals.
Driving the news:
- Matthew Wale, the Solomon Islands' prime minister, said his government will review the secret 2022 security pact signed with China.
- He told reporters the pact contains a non‑disclosure clause and he only received a copy shortly before leaving for Australia.
- Wale said he has removed certain people from key positions to gain access to the document.
- Australia and the Solomons agreed to begin work on a "comprehensive" new treaty and to deepen policing cooperation.
What they're saying:
- "I have been praying and fasting about it," Wale said about the pact.
- "I have not been afforded a copy, even, of that agreement, until a day before I left," he told reporters.
- "This will be agreed in a new comprehensive treaty underpinned by mutual trust, respect and open dialogue," Anthony Albanese, Australia's prime minister, said at the joint press conference.
The backdrop:
- China is the Solomons' largest single bilateral creditor; debt to Chinese banks for infrastructure projects roughly doubled in 2025.
- Australia remains the Solomons' biggest aid donor and has used treaties with Pacific states to limit Chinese security links.
- Under the previous government, Chinese police entered villages to collect household and biometric data as part of policing cooperation, a practice Canberra and critics flagged as sensitive.
What's next:
- Foreign ministers from both countries will lead negotiations on the comprehensive treaty, the leaders said.
- The leaders asked ministers to pursue the treaty "as expeditiously as possible," and senior Solomons sources hope to finish it this year.
- Australia agreed to deepen police training cooperation and to double Pacific Engagement visas to 300 for the next year; it also offered immediate assistance for cyclone response and energy shocks.
The bottom line: Wale's review hands Canberra a rare opening to reset Pacific security ties — and Beijing will be watching every move.