Not a Surprise

The US and Australia have been making noises about invading the Solomon Islands for a few months now, because of the increasingly close ties between Honiara and Beijing. (Earlier story here.)

It should come as no surprise then that, the island nation has denied permission to dock to US and UK warships.

File under, well, duh:

A United States coast guard vessel was unable to enter Solomon Islands for a routine port call because its government did not respond to a request to refuel and provision, a US official said.

The Solomons government did not immediately answer a Reuters request for comment. It has had a tense relationship with the US and its allies since striking a security pact with China in May.

The USCGC Oliver Henry was on patrol for illegal fishing in the South Pacific for a regional fisheries agency when it failed to obtain entry to refuel at Honiara, the Solomons’ capital, a US coast guard press officer said in an emailed statement.

Yeah, I know, the Coast Guard is not a part of the Pentagon, but it is a warship, sporting 25mm cannon and .50 cal machine guns.  It's a warship.

………

The Solomons’ government and Beijing have ruled out a Chinese military base on the islands, although a leaked draft showed the security agreement would allow the Chinese navy to dock and replenish.

The fisheries agency for the Pacific Islands Forum, a block of 17 Pacific nations, has a maritime surveillance centre in Honiara, and holds annual surveillance operations for illegal fishing with assistance from Australia, the US, New Zealand and France.

The Oliver Henry had been scheduled for a routine logistics port call in Solomon Islands, said Kristin Kam, public affairs officer for the US coast guard in Hawaii.

“The government of the Solomon Islands did not respond to the US government’s request for diplomatic clearance for the vessel to refuel and provision in Honiara,” she said in a statement.

China's increased presence in the western Pacific region has the US and Australia, which have traditionally seen this area as their private pond, has resulted in increased paranoia among the members of the ANZUS axis, which has lead to a pressure campaign and threats against other governments in the region, particularly the Solomon Islands.

It is no surprise that the response from these governments is hostility.