Australia seeks friendship with Solomons despite China pact

SYDNEY (AP) — Australia’s defense minister says his nation wants to continue having a strong friendship and relationship with the Solomon Islands despite it signing a security pact with China. Peter Dutton says Solomon Island Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has been very clear that he is not going to allow a Chinese military base to be built in the South Pacific nation and Australia is taking him at his word. But Dutton added that the basis of the pact is to allow China to have a security presence on the Solomon Islands. Sogavare told lawmakers in Parliament this week that opponents of his new security pact have threatened his country and insulted it.