In an incident that comes amid growing worries about Chinese influence on the Pacific nation, a U.S. coast guard cutter engaged in patrols as part of an international mission to stop illegal fishing was unable to obtain clearance for a scheduled port call in the Solomon Islands.
The cutter Oliver Henry attempted to make a scheduled stop at Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, to refuel and restock while it was participating in Operation Island Chief, which monitored fishing activities in the Pacific and ended on Friday.
The Oliver Henry, however, made a detour to Papua New Guinea, according to the Coast Guard, after the government of the Solomon Islands failed to respond to requests for diplomatic authorization for the ship to stop there.
China has been adamantly seeking to increase its presence and influence in the Pacific, and after signing a new security agreement with China, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare alarmed some neighbours, the United States, and others.
The agreement has sparked worries that China will build a naval base 1,200 miles off the northeastern coast of Australia.
The Coast Guard stated that the Oliver Henry had arrived in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea on Tuesday “following a patrol in parts of the Coral Sea and the Solomon Islands” but did not specify when the stop in the Solomon Islands had been planned.
The HMS Spey, which is also taking part in Operation Island Chief, was reportedly denied a port call in the Solomon Islands. This information was not directly addressed by the Royal Navy of Great Britain.
The Royal Navy stated in an email that “ships’ programmes are under constant review, and it is routine practise for them to change.”
“We do not discuss details due to operational security concerns.” The Royal Navy is eager to return to the Solomon Islands in the future.
The United States, Australia, Britain, and New Zealand supported the Pacific island countries taking part in Operation Island Chief by providing aerial and surface surveillance, including Solomon Islands.
A Chinese military presence in the Solomon Islands would put it close to Guam, the U.S. territory that is home to significant military installations, as well as Australia, New Zealand, and the Solomon Islands themselves.
Both China and the Solomon Islands have denied that their agreement will give the latter a military foothold in the South Pacific.
Earlier in August, Sogavare caused controversy by skipping a memorial ceremony commemorating the Battle of Guadalcanal, a crucial conflict in World War II in which American and other ally troops took control of the islands from Imperial Japan.
Sogavare “lost a crucial chance” by not attending, according to U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, whose father was injured during the Guadalcanal conflict and who attended the memorial.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn of the United States met with Sogavare on Wednesday in the Solomon Islands, although it’s unclear whether she brought up the Coast Guard’s declined port call.
The Tennessee Republican said on her website that her trip to Papua New Guinea, Fiji, and the Solomon Islands “was a crucial step in highlighting America’s commitment to the area and developing our strategic alliances.”
In a statement released from Honolulu, the Coast Guard said that it respects the sovereignty of its international allies and looks forward to working with the Solomon Islands in the future.
Following the Solomon Islands government’s rejection of the port call, Coast Guard Lt. Kristin Kam informed the Stars and Stripes newspaper that the United States State Department had spoken with that country and that they “anticipated all future clearances will be issued to U.S. ships.”