In a surprising turn of events, Jeremiah Manele, a pro-Chinese candidate, has been elected prime minister of the Solomon Islands. Manele won 31 out of 50 votes in a secret ballot in Parliament, defeating his rival Mathew Wale, who had advocated for a loosening of ties with Beijing.
Manele expressed relief that the vote occurred without any violence and stated, “Today we showed the world that we are better than this.” The Solomon Islands, an island nation in Oceania with a population of around 720 thousand, have a history of election-related riots. In the past, Prime Minister Bart Ulufa’alu was kidnapped by armed individuals in 2000 leading to his resignation and an international contingent was deployed to prevent riots during elections in 2006.
Manele served as foreign minister in 2019 and oversaw the shift of the Solomon Islands away from Taiwan towards establishing diplomatic relations with Beijing. Analysts predict that Manele will continue the policy of closer ties with China initiated by his predecessor Manasseh Sogavare, who did not seek reelection. However, concerns have been raised by the United States and Australia regarding a security agreement signed with China in 2022 fearing potential establishment of permanent Chinese military base in South Pacific region.
In his plans for governance, Manele has promised “government of national unity” focused on economic revitalization and progress towards recovery from Covid-19 pandemic. Among the priorities outlined by the new government are reform of value-added tax and establishment of special economic zone.