麻豆影视

Skip to main content

U.S. official says Solomon Islands leader 'missed opportunity'

A dawn service at Bloody Ridge as part of commemorations to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal near Honiara, Solomon Islands, on Aug. 8, 2022. (Petty Officer Chris Weissenborn/NZDF via AP) A dawn service at Bloody Ridge as part of commemorations to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal near Honiara, Solomon Islands, on Aug. 8, 2022. (Petty Officer Chris Weissenborn/NZDF via AP)
Share
WELLINGTON, New Zealand -

The U.S. deputy secretary of state said Monday the prime minister of the Solomon Islands "missed an important opportunity" by failing to attend a memorial service to mark the anniversary of a key Second World War battle, amid concerns the South Pacific island nation is building closer ties with China.

Wendy Sherman and U.S. Ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy were among dignitaries who attended a dawn service near the capital Honiara on Sunday to commemorate the Battle of Guadalcanal.

Sherman's father, Marine Mal Sherman, and Kennedy's father, the late President John F. Kennedy, almost died in fighting on the Solomons. Kennedy had been the commander of a patrol torpedo boat that was rammed and sunk by a Japanese destroyer. Sherman was wounded during the Guadalcanal campaign, which was the Japanese army's first defeat of the Second World War.

Local media reported that Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, who signed a security pact with China this year, appeared to have snubbed the ceremony, a claim his office later denied.

Sherman declined to say whether she considered the prime minister's absence a snub. She said Sogavare "will have to answer to his own citizens about why he made the choice that he did," in an apparent reference to the next election.

"I said to the prime minister directly that I was so sorry that obviously his schedule did not allow him to come because he missed an important opportunity," Sherman told Australian Broadcasting Corp.

"This was a place where international leaders gathered to say that the work with Solomon Islanders, at the time of World War II, was decisive in victory, in ensuring freedom and democracy. And so I really felt sorry for the prime minister because I think he missed an important opportunity," she added.

Sogavare denied a snub, telling the Solomons Star News newspaper in a statement that the government was well represented at all events over three days marking the anniversary at ministerial levels.

The statement said newspaper claims of a snub were misleading and lacked understanding of protocols applied at such events.

The pact with China has raised fears of a Chinese naval base being established within 2,000 kilometres (1,200 miles) of Australia's northeast coast. A Chinese military presence in the Solomons would put it not only on the doorstep of Australia and New Zealand but also in close proximity to Guam, the U.S. territory that hosts major military bases.

Both the Solomons and China have denied their pact will lead to a Chinese military foothold in the South Pacific.

Sherman said Sogavare had repeated the assurance during her recent visit that there would be no Chinese base.

"This is a situation where we will all watch very carefully to see what happens here. It is quite critical," Sherman said.

In April, a U.S. delegation to Honiara led by Kurt Campbell, the National Security Council Indo-Pacific co-ordinator, and Daniel Kritenbrink, the assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, warned that the United States would take unspecified action against the Solomons should the agreement with China pose a threat to U.S. or allied interests.

Sogavare accused the U.S. and Australia of threatening and disrespectful behaviour.

China's growing influence in the Pacific has led the United States to commit to reopening an embassy in Honiara that it closed in 1993. Washington has also committed to opening embassies in Tonga and Kiribati, a Micronesian state that, like the Solomons, recently switched its allegiance from Taiwan to Beijing.

The Solomons ceremony that Sherman and Kennedy attended was briefly interrupted when an assailant armed with a pair of scissors attacked a Japanese sailor.

Radio New Zealand reported that the victim was part of a Japanese navy media team and was stabbed in the neck, receiving minor injuries.

The report quoted medics as saying the sailor required stitches but was doing well. Bloody Ridge community chief Wesley Ramo said the suspect was from a neighboring community and was under the influence and mentally unstable.

Also attending the ceremony were Makoto Oniki, Japan's state minister of defence, and Peeni Henare, New Zealand's defence minister.

The suspect reportedly tackled the sailor to the ground during the attack before locals and U.S. military personnel stepped in and detained him. Police then took him away and the ceremony resumed after a short break.

----------

McGuirk reported from Canberra, Australia

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

The eight sons of Richard and Sarah Harvie from Gormanville, N.S., are believed to be the most siblings from one family, from either North America or the British Commonwealth, to serve in World War II.

A 30-year-old northwestern Ontario woman has been charged with arson following a structure fire Thursday night, police say.

A Toronto police officer has been arrested after allegedly stealing three bottles of alcohol from a store.

opinion

opinion Tips on managing your financial stress

Financial strain can be an uncomfortable burden to bear, especially if you feel that you're doing as much as you can and are barely managing to stay afloat. Personal finance contributor Christopher Liew shares some tips for managing financial stress and digging your way out of debt.

One person is dead after the driver of a pickup truck hit a bench where two people were waiting for the bus in Surrey Saturday afternoon, police have confirmed.

Local Spotlight

Chantal Kreviazuk is set to return to Winnipeg to mark a major milestone in her illustrious musical career.

From the beaches of Cannes to the bustling streets of New York City, a new film by a trio of Manitoba directors has toured the international film festival circuit to much pomp and circumstance.

A husband and wife have been on the road trip of a lifetime and have decided to stop in Saskatchewan for the winter.

The grave of a previously unknown Canadian soldier has been identified as a man from Hayfield, Man. who fought in the First World War.

A group of classic car enthusiasts donated hundreds of blankets to nursing homes in Nova Scotia.

Moving into the second week of October, the eastern half of Canada can expect some brisker fall air to break down from the north

What does New Westminster's t蓹m蓹sew虛tx史 Aquatic and Community Centre have in common with a historic 68,000-seat stadium in Beijing, an NFL stadium and the aquatics venue for the Paris Olympics? They've all been named among the world's most beautiful sports venues for 2024.

The last living member of the legendary Vancouver Asahi baseball team, Kaye Kaminishi, died on Saturday, Sept. 28, surrounded by family. He was 102 years old.

New data from Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley shows a surge in supply and drop in demand in the region's historically hot real estate market.