Solomon Islands: PM survives no confidence vote

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare on Monday easily survived a no confidence motion brought by the opposition over graft accusations.

The vote came amid divisions between the national government and the country's most populous province, Malaita, over a 2019 switch of diplomatic ties from Taiwan to China.

Parliament Speaker John Patteson Oti said the motion to oust Sogavare had been defeated by 32 votes to 15.

Sogavare has rejected graft accusations and said he will not submit to "calls to resign by Taiwan's agents."

"The call for me to resign and this motion was made against the backdrop of an illegal attempted coup," he said, accusing the Malaita provincial government of fomenting deadly protests a week ago.

Why is there unrest in the Solomon Islands?

The opposition, with backing from Malaita, has accused Sogavare of being in the hand of China after the decision to change diplomatic ties from Taiwan to the Chinese mainland.

Opposition leader Matthew Wale told parliament that Sogavare was "in the service of a foreign power." He claimed the prime minister was using Chinese money in a national fund to bolster his power.

"The prime minister is dependent on the National Development Fund (NDF) money to maintain his political strength," Wale said. "How can he make decisions only in the interests of the Solomon Islands?"

Wale said citizens of the Solomon Islands were also angry about deficits in the country's health care system, as well as about prime real estate coming into foreign hands.

Malaita's premier, Daniel Sudani, has banned Chinese companies from working in the province. He is expected to announce plans on Tuesday for an independence referendum for Malaita.

What has China said?

The Chinese Embassy in the Solomons said any attempt to damage bilateral ties between China and the Solomon Islands was doomed to fail.

The ties between the two countries will overcome all difficulties, it said in a statement.

Parliament was told on Monday that China will assist in upgrading the country's hospital and universities.

China considers Taiwan to be a breakaway Chinese province that will be reunified with the mainland at some stage.

tj/rt (Reuters, AFP)