Tokyo[Japan], April 25 (ANI): Japan is keeping a close eye on China’s behaviourconcerning Pacific island nations, said Prime Minister Fumio Kishida onSaturday, days after China and Solomon Islands signed a security pact that USand allies fear could be used to establish a military base in the Pacificisland nation.

TheJapanese Prime Minister raised these concerns after meeting with his Tuvalucounterpart.
“We exchanged views on recent developments concerning China in the Pacificisland region,” Kishida told reporters in Kumamoto Prefecture, without givingfurther details.

“We are closely following what China does in the Pacific island region withinterest,” he was quoted as saying by The Japan Times.

The United States on Friday raised “significant concerns” about the securitypact signed between the Solomon Islands and China and warned that shouldBeijing maintain any military presence there, the US would “respondaccordingly”.

On April 22, a high-level US delegation visited Honiara, Solomon Islands andmet for 90 minutes with Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, along with two dozenmembers of his cabinet and senior staff.

In the meeting with Solomon Islands’ Prime Minister Sogavare, the US delegationreiterated the key priorities animating the trip and also outlined stepsWashington would take to advance the welfare of the people of Solomon Islands.

Outlining areas of concern with respect to the purpose, scope, and transparencyof the agreement, the US delegation said, “If steps are taken to establish a defacto permanent military presence, power-projection capabilities, or a militaryinstallation, the delegation noted that the US would then have significantconcerns and respond accordingly.”

Solomon Islands representatives have indicated that the agreement had solelydomestic applications, but the US delegation noted there are potential regionalsecurity implications of the accord, including for the United States and itsallies and partners.

Earlier, China had said the security deal would involve cooperating withHoniara on maintaining social order, combating natural disasters and theagreement “does not target any third party.”

(ANI)