China, Solomon Islands establish diplomatic relations

China and the Solomon Islands established diplomatic relations on Saturday, after the Pacific island country severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan.

State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade of the Solomon Islands Jeremiah Manele signed the joint communique on the establishment of diplomatic ties in Beijing.

According to the communique, the government of the Solomon Island recognizes that there is but one China in the world, the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing the whole of China, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory.

The government of the Solomon Islands commits not to have any official relations or exchanges with Taiwan, it said.

The Solomon Islands was the sixth country to break ties with Taiwan and establish diplomatic ties with China since Tsai Ing-wen became the island's leader in 2016. 179 countries have formed diplomatic ties with China.

On Friday, Kiribati cut "diplomatic ties" with Taiwan, leaving the island with official relations to 15 nations.

Noting China has become the largest trade partner of the Solomon Islands, Wang told reporters after the signing that it is neither reasonable nor sustainable for the two countries not to have diplomatic relations.

In a few days, China will be marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Wang noted that "as we mark this important occasion, China and the Solomon Islands established diplomatic relations, the timing brings a special significance and promises bright prospects in bilateral relations."

China will never impose its willingness to others in foreign exchanges, nor will it pursue unilateral interests when cooperating with others, the cooperation between China and the Solomon Islands will be based on equality, openness, mutual benefits and inclusiveness, Wang said.

"China welcomes the Solomon Islands to join the big family of Cooperation between China and South Pacific islands nations", he added.

"China must and will eventually achieve national reunification," Wang said, adding that Taiwan was, is and will continue to be an inalienable part of China's territory, both de facto and de jure. This status will not and cannot be changed.

"Now there are only a handful of countries that have not established diplomatic relations with China," Wang said, adding that he believes more and more visionary people in these countries will speak up for justice in keeping with the trend of the times.

Manele said that the decision to form ties with China is based on national interests, and conforms to the international law and is in compliance with United Nations resolution 2758, which stated that the People's Republic of China is the only legitimate government of China.

The establishment of diplomatic relations with China opens a dialogue for cooperation in all areas, he said.

According to a statement made by prime minister of the Solomon Islands on Friday, the country's decision to break ties with Taiwan and form relations with China was made in a transparent manner.

He said that formal recognition of the sovereignty of the Peoples Republic of China under the UN Resolution 2758 is supported by all UN countries except 16 underdeveloped nations, which raises questions over whose interests does this minority support of small nations serve to represent against the vast majority of the global democracy?

The Solomon Islands cannot answer for other nations but to determine the most appropriate way forward for the good of the country and people, he said.

The Solomon Islands will greatly benefit from the Belt and Road Initiative and will pump in a lot of infrastructure development that are directly linked to spur its economic development, he added.

Su Xiaohui, an international strategy researcher at the China Institute of International Studies, said it is not unexpected that countries ditched ties with Taiwan in recent years as more of them would choose partner for cooperation on the basis of long-term development and benefits.

"As the international consensus and international law has laid the foundation, and China's development has brought opportunities, it has become an inevitable choice for these countries to independently and unconditionally establish diplomatic ties with China," she said.