Solomon Islands agreed to accord after China references axed

By NICK PERRY
Associated Press

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The Solomon Islands foreign minister says his nation agreed to sign an accord between the United States and more than a dozen Pacific nations only after indirect references to China were removed. Jeremiah Manele’s remarks represented the first time the Solomon Islands has publicly acknowledged it had initial concerns about the agreement and expressed why it had a change of heart. The accord was signed in Washington last week, with President Joe Biden telling visiting Pacific leaders that the U.S. was committed to bolstering its presence in the region and becoming a more collaborative partner. Manele spoke on a visit in Wellington, New Zealand.