London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jun 23, 2025

Distribution of Chinese funds by Solomon Islands PM raises questions

Distribution of Chinese funds by Solomon Islands PM raises questions

The Solomon Islands Prime Minister's office distributed Chinese government money to 39 out of 50 members of parliament twice last year, a budget committee was told, prompting criticism the payments were politically motivated.
Prime Minister Manesseh Sogavare, who switched the Islands' diplomatic ties from Taiwan to Beijing in 2019, survived a vote of no confidence last December after deadly anti-government riots saw buildings burnt in the capital, Honiara.

Before the no-confidence vote, opposition leader Matthew Wale accused Sogavare of using money from China in a national fund to prop up his position.

On Tuesday, the Prime Minister's Office said SBD20.9 million ($2.49 million) was provided by China for a fund spent at the prime minister's discretion in 2021, and two tranches of payments were made to 39 lawmakers in November and December.

A request for SBD9.75 million ($1.16 million), or SBD250,000 per lawmaker, was made on Nov. 22, and distributed equally to the 39 lawmakers, Jimmy Rodgers, secretary to the prime minister, told a livestreamed committee hearing.

Another payment of SBD831,000, or about SBD20,000 each, was made on Dec. 13, he said.

Rodgers said China had agreed in 2019 to pay the funds to the Prime Minister's Office for three years, continuing a practice established by Taiwan.

Sogavare's office and the Chinese embassy in Honiara did not respond to requests for comment.

In a statement on Wednesday, Sogavare's office rejected allegations it was using money from China to maintain power.

The United States, Australia and other Pacific countries have expressed concern about a security pact agreed this year between the Solomon Islands and China, which they say has regional implications as China seeks to extend its influence.

Rodgers said aid partners want the system for the allocation of funds reformed so that money goes to projects and not politicians' offices.

Former deputy prime minister John Maneniaru said the policy to distribute money at the prime minister's discretion was "not good for unity in this country".

"He is the prime minister for 50 constituencies, not just that handful of constituencies," Maneniaru, a committee member, said in the hearing.

Sogavare was elected prime minister of a coalition government on the floor of parliament with 34 votes in 2019.

He survived a no-confidence motion in December with the support of 32 members after an anti-government protest on Nov. 24 led to rioting, which saw Sogavare seek international police help to restore order.

Sogavare is seeking parliamentary approval to delay elections due in mid-2023.

($1 = 8.4034 Solomon Islands dollars)
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
×