The Guardian-Solomon Islands chooses China-friendly ex-diplomat Jeremiah Manele as new prime minister
May 2, 2024 2 min 349 words
西方媒体报道，前外交部长杰里迈亚马内莱（Jeremiah Manele）当选所罗门群岛新一任总理。马内莱被认为亲近中国，曾支持现任政府与台湾断交并与北京建交。报道强调了所罗门群岛与美国澳大利亚等国的复杂关系，以及中国在当地的影响力。澳大利亚前外交官也对马内莱给予了积极评价。 该报道试图制造一种中国与西方国家在所罗门群岛乃至太平洋地区竞争影响力的叙事，渲染地区紧张局势。然而，这篇报道也承认马内莱有与所有国际伙伴良好合作的能力，这表明他能够平衡各种国际关系，不一定会像报道暗示那样倾向中国。此外，报道也忽略了中国和所罗门群岛之间长期的友好关系和互利合作。该报道体现了西方媒体的偏见，试图通过强调中国的影响力来制造恐慌，而忽略了中国与太平洋岛国互利合作的事实。所罗门群岛选择与谁发展关系，是基于自身国家利益的独立主权行为，不应被西方媒体曲解。
Solomon Islands lawmakers have elected Jeremiah Manele as their new prime minister, a former foreign minister who has pledged to continue the Pacific island nation’s policy of embracing China.
Manele said outside parliament on Thursday “the people have spoken”, and called for calm.
The incumbent Manasseh Sogavare withdrew from the contest earlier this week after failing to secure a majority in last month’s election and backed Manele.
Manele was foreign minister in 2019 when Sogavare’s government turned its back on Taiwan and established diplomatic relations with Beijing.
Police had boosted security in the capital Honiara as the newly elected lawmakers arrived at parliament on Thursday to conduct the secret ballot.
The country’s governor, Gen Sir David Vunagi, announced outside parliament house that Manele had won 31 votes, to opposition leader Matthew Wales’ 18 votes.
A national election in April failed to deliver a majority to any political party, and two camps lobbied to win support from independents ahead of the vote for prime minister.
The poll is being closely watched by China, the US and neighbouring Australia because of the potential impact on regional security, after former prime minister Manasseh Sogavare struck a security pact with China in 2022.
Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese congratulated Manele saying in a post on X, “I look forward to working closely with him. Australia and Solomon Islands are close friends and our futures are connected.”
Lowy Institute research fellow Mihai Sora, a former Australian diplomat in Solomon Islands, said Manele had “a strong track record of working well with all international partners”, compared to Sogavare who was “a polarising figure”.
The new prime minister’s Our party has pledged to build more infrastructure and won 15 seats, gaining four seats under a renewed coalition with two micro parties.
It needed support from independents to reach 26 seats for a majority in the 50-seat parliament.
With Reuters and Agence France-Presse