BEIJING (Reuters) – China backs the Solomon Islands in upholding social order, a foreign ministry spokesman told reporters on Friday, when asked if the two were in talks on a security partnership.
Australia and New Zealand expressed concern about the impact on regional security of military cooperation between China and the Solomons after the leak of a draft document on proposed cooperation.
At a regular media briefing in Beijing, ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin did not confirm or deny the proposed cooperation when asked about it.
(Reporting by Eduardo Baptista; Writing by Ryan Woo; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)