ISSUE #56: China, Solomon, and the US exceptionalism.
A day passed without the US showing its double standard is the day lost.
China signed a security pact with the Solomon islands, a sovereign country consisting of numerous islands in the Pacific Ocean.
After the security agreement, the US and Australia went mad because they think it poses “threat” to Australia as China may build a military base in the archipelago, which is a “red line” for Australia, PM Scott Morrison said.
Before going further, let’s discuss what the security pact is all about.
According to officials from both sides, the agreement is needed to bring stability into the region after the violent unrest, which lasted for a few days, took place in November 2021, which aimed at both the Chinese community and Sogarave’s government.
The main reason behind protests was the government’s decision to recognize China over Taiwan, which led to many Chinese businesses, mainly in Honiara (the capital), being burned or looted. The agreement allows China to send armed forces to quell unrest.
Although, both sides have declined the talks of China building a military base in the region.
“Reports China will build a naval base in the Solomon Islands are purely fake news,” said Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Senior Colonel Tan Kefei.
“Government is conscious of the security ramification of hosting a military base, and it will not be careless to allow such initiative to take place under its watch,” said the Solomon Islands government.
The US sent a delegation team to the Solomon Islands and according to the White House report:
“If steps are taken to establish a de facto permanent military presence, power-projection capabilities, or a military installation, the delegation noted that the United States would then have significant concerns and respond accordingly.”
When we translate it from the diplomatic English to the normal one, it simply indicates that the US is blatantly threatening Solomon. Although, according to the report, “The United States respects the right of nations to make sovereign decisions in the best interests of their people,” BUT it will “respond accordingly” if China builds a military base in the region.
Does this mean they will bomb the “sovereign” country for the decision it made based on its sovereignty? Seems like a possibility.
Do you see the hypocrisy again? Although we know that the US is the hypocrite of the highest level, and plays double standards, but discussing events like this only solidifies, not weakens, our beliefs.
NATO providing training, funding, weapons to the military of Ukraine, which shares its border with Russia, is NOT a threat to Russia. It’s “Putin/Russian propaganda.”
But how dare China signed a security pact with the Solomon Islands? It poses a significant “threat” to the US and Australia, both of which are “only” thousands of kilometres away from the archipelago. Meanwhile, the US has nearly 200 military bases in Japan and South Korea, which are “more than” 300 km away from China.
This infographic speaks volumes:
If it’s not Anglo Colonial Exceptionalism, then what is it that it perfectly OK for the US to have hundreds of military bases near China but the Solomon Islands signing a security pact with China, which says nothing about building a militarty base in the region, is a “threat” to the US and Australia.
This is what the rules-based international order is all about. The countries that are the puppets of the strongest nation on the planet are more sovereign than the ones that, even a little bit, tilt towards Russia and China.
They’re like, “Ukraine has all the rights under the sun to join any military alliance it wants. How dare Russia invades a sovereign country? But if the Solomon Islands, a sovereign country but not as much as Ukraine, allow the Chinese military base in the region, it’s a “threat” and we are going to “respond accordingly.” ”
If you think the above statements contradict each other, you are a Putin apologist LOL. If you know, you know.
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