China has concluded the security pact with the Solomon Islands despite the US and its allies expressing serious concerns about the People's Liberation Army's rising influence in the Southern Pacific.
"With the approval of the Chinese and the Solomon Islands governments, State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Solomon Islands Foreign Minister recently signed a framework agreement on security cooperation," Wang Wenbin, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman, told reporters on Tuesday at a regular briefing in Beijing.
The Chinese side, however, did not give details of where or when the signing took place.
Describing the pact as "transparent, open and inclusive," the Chinese spokesman said it does not target any third country.
He also emphasised that the agreement does not contradict the cooperation between the Solomon Islands and other countries, and can complement the existing cooperation mechanisms in the region.
Australia and New Zealand, two of the Solomon Islands' more distant neighbours, have a security pact with the pacific island nation and provide military assets and other assistance as per the requirement of Honiara.
However, Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare justified the security pact with China in the parliament in March, pointing out that the country's toe two security guarantors — New Zealand and Australia, did nothing to protect infrastructure built by China or the Chinese people last November during three-day riots.
Last November, protests centred on the islands' Malaita province demanded Sogavare's resignation over his 2019 move to switch diplomatic ties from Taiwan to China.
The treaty's signing came soon after the White House announced that a high-level US delegation would arrive in the Solomon Islands this week.
The US and Its allies fear that the pact would allow China to station its military assets in the Solomon Islands, a concern that Sogavare rejected in March.