Military base

China has reiterated that it ‘no intention at all’ to build a military base in the Solomon Islands, Foreign Minister Wang Yi have confirmed dismissing speculation about the purpose of its recent security pact with the island State.

The Chinese minister, who was in Honiara at the start of an extensive tour of Pacific island states, said the security agreement Beijing sealed last month with the Solomon Islands government was “above board, with honesty and integrity”.

A leaked draft of the security agreement — the final version has not been made public — contained a provision that would allow Chinese …