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Guns and Kung Fu: Australia and China help militarize the Solomon Islands’ police force

· Written by Mong Palatino

Categories: East Asia, Oceania, China, Solomon Islands, Governance, International Relations, Politics
Australia donated 13 police vehicles and 60 short barrel rifles to the Solomon Islands government [1]

Australia donated 13 vehicles and 60 short barrel rifles to the Solomon Islands police. Photo [1] from press statement published on the website of the Solomon Islands government

As global superpowers vie for influence in the Pacific [2], the various types of assistance given by Australia and China to the Solomon Islands police have elicited questions and concern about their long-term geopolitical impact. Some citizens are worried that the trend toward “militarization” could turn the Solomon Islands into a “gun state.”

Under the Manasseh Sogavare government, the Solomon Islands broke diplomatic ties with Taiwan in 2019. Since then, China has boosted [3] its aid and investments in the archipelago as it vowed to foster closer ties with the Solomon Islands.

Early this year, a leaked security pact between the two countries raised alarm about its destabilizing impact in the region. Solomon Islands Prime Minister Sogavare has repeatedly denied that the security partnership [4] will lead to the installation of a Chinese military base in the islands. He insisted that China only offered to help [5] in the training of the local police force.

Solomon Islands sent police officers to China to undergo training [6], which involved the teaching of martial arts. This was reported by Global Times, a state-run news website. Zhang Guangbao, who is the leader of the China Police Liaison Team to the Solomon Islands, described the martial arts training [7]:

We combined martial arts and grappling, and our local colleagues were very interested in it, because they of course all know Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan. We taught them martial arts moves which they had never seen before.

China also sent replica guns [10] to the Solomon Islands as part of its training assistance.

During the first week of November, the Solomon Islands received numerous police donations from Australia and China. Australia donated [1] 60 Daniel’s Defense MK18 short Barrel Rifles and 13 police vehicles. Two days later, China donated [11] 20 police vehicles, 30 motorcycles and two water cannon vehicles. China even presented a martial arts demonstration during the handover ceremony:

Opposition leader Matthew Wale noted that Australia and China are trying to outcompete each other through the militaristic donations:

He believes this does not benefit the country in the long run [16]:

It is clear Australia is anxious that if they do not supply guns then China will. Geopolitical interests has surpassed national interest in this country and it is a sad state of affairs.

Prime Minister Sogavare argued the donations will enhance the capacity of the police [19]:

To those who view the enhancement of our Police Force, in a negative lens, I wish to appeal to you, to note that it is the responsibility of the [police] to serve and protect the lives, welfare, liberty and property of all individuals in this country. To be unable to deliver on this mandate is a poor indication of a country’s own security capacity, as a Sovereign and Independent Country. We must have that capacity and not depend on others.

He added that a strong police force will be able to protect the country from threats [20]:

Law and order is an enabler for development, and it is important that as a Sovereign State, we are able to better protect ourselves, deliver on our security mandates, and confront threats when it looms.

Some disagreed. Journalist Robert Iroga urged the government to focus on other aspects of governance [21] as he warned against the possible negative consequences of arming the police with assault weapons:

It is not the power of one’s guns that determine a good government. Rather, it is the ability of a government to deliver opportunities and better livelihood to its people.

Perhaps for donors, Solomon Islands is a pawn in the broader geopolitical competition: one provides Kung Fu training and replica guns and the other tries out-compete with real assault weapons. In these times of hyper-geopolitical competition, the arming of police forces with assault weapons could result in dangerous outcomes in the future.

Journalist Dorothy Wickham said the donation will entail additional expenses [22] for the government:

She is also worried about how the intense rivalry in the Pacific could turn her country into a “gun state”: