23.11.2023The Solomon Islands after the “Switch”: how a major battleground in WW II has once again been turned into a geopolitical hotspot

Speaker

Patrick Zoll (NZZ)

Date and Time

November 23, 2023, 10:15am-12:00am

Venue

ONLINE (open to all) - ON-SITE (only for students enrolled in the class: International Politics of the Asia Pacific: China, Taiwan, US, Japan)

For online participation, please register here.

Abstract

Solomon Islands and China (PRC) established official diplomatic relations in 2019. Prior to this, Solomon Islands entertained diplomatic relations with the ROC (Taiwan). In March 2022 China and the Solomons signed a security pact that allows Beijing to send military personel to the country, should they request so, to assist in maintaining social order and stability. Concerns over such developments have been voiced by several countries such as Australia and the United States, worried about China’s increasing military and security presence in the Pacific.
This lecture provides an overview regarding the growing geopolitical importance of the region (for the USA and Australia) and China’s interests in it. The lecture will also address why the switch from Taiwan to China happened and why it is so relevant, by focusing on the tug of war between the US and China and how it affects the Solomon Islands.

Organization

Institute of Asian and Oriental Studies - Chinese Studies