U.S. To Reopen Solomon Islands Embassy To Counter Communist China

The Biden administration recently announced to move forward with plans to reopen the U.S. Embassy in the Solomon Islands in a bid to counter the growing posture of Communist China in the Pacific. The U.S. closed its embassy in Honiara in 1993 in a post-Cold War effort to reduce diplomatic posts and priorities.

The State Department stated nearly a year ago that Communist China’s growing influence in the region led to the reopening of the U.S. Embassy in the Solomon Islands. Since the Biden administration first announced the plan, the Solomon Islands have moved forward with a security agreement with Communist China, sparking U.S. concerns that Beijing could establish a military base on the islands.

The State Department has reportedly issued a notice indicating that it will soon establish an interim embassy in the Solomon Islands capital of Honiara, the site of a former U.S. consular property, and that a more permanent facility will eventually be established to deepen U.S. ties with the Solomon Islands and effectively counterbalance Communist China.