Australia Funds IDR 1.9 Trillion For Police Training In Solomon After The Construction Of A Chinese Base

Illustration of police officers. (Unsplash)

JAKARTA - Australia announced funding for police training and arrest in the Solomon Kingdom located in the South Pacific Islands, Friday, December 20.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his country would spend 118 million US dollars or around Rp. 1.9 trillion which will be realized over four years to fund and train new police recruits in Solomon.

This funding includes establishing a police training center in Honiara. In the capital Solomon, a Chinese military base has been established based on a bilateral security pact between the two countries.

"My government is proud to make significant investments to the Solomon Islands police to ensure that they can continue to take a major responsibility for security in the Solomon Islands," Albanese told reporters in the Australian capital, Canberra.

Albanese and its partner from the Solomon Jeremia Islands Manele have made a joint statement today. The two said the aid package would build lasting security capabilities in the Solomon Islands.

"Thus reducing its dependence on external partners over time," the statement said.

Australia is actively pursuing a new bilateral security deal with neighboring countries in the Pacific islands since China and the Solomon Islands signed a security deal in 2022.

The agreement between China and the Solomon Islands was signed before Manele took office. The agreement raised concerns among US allies including Australia because it contained China allowed to build a base in the Solomon Islands.