The United States does not rule out military intervention in the Solomon Islands in the Pacific if China decides to establish bases there.
The Guardian quotes one of the "top US officials in the Pacific" as not ruling out the option. Ambassador Daniel Kritenbrink, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs, said a US team had a "constructive and enjoyable" meeting with Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, with whom the US side shared concerns.
"We wanted to raise our concerns with our friends in the Solomon Islands. "The prime minister said that the agreement with China has only internal implications, but we made it clear that there are potential regional security implications and not only for us," said the ambassador.
He has confirmed respect for the sovereignty of the Solomon Islands, but if a permanent Chinese base is established there, the US will respond.
Asked about the possibility of intervention, he did not say "No", but did not go any further. According to him, the mere fact that the representatives of the island are obliged to disclose the text of the agreement with the consensus of China is worrying in itself.