Honiara [Solomon Islands], August 6 : A Solomon Islands news company received more than USD 1,30,000 from the Chinese government in exchange for agreeing to "promote the truth about China's generosity and its true intention to help develop" the Pacific island country, The Asian Age reported citing a funding document and email examined by RFA-affiliated news organisation BenarNews.
As a result of the Solomon Islands government's decision to move its diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to Beijing in 2019 under Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, the Pacific region has become a flashpoint for Chinese-American conflict. Last year, the Solomon Islands inked a security agreement with China that alarmed the US and its allies, including Australia, who worry that it could open the door for a Chinese military presence in the area, as per The Asian Age.
According to a funding proposal made to the Chinese embassy in July 2022 by the proprietors of the Solomon Star newspaper and Paoa FM radio station, a collaboration will benefit Beijing by "promoting China as the most generous and trusted development partner in the Solomon Islands."
The Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, which is supported by nonprofit organisations and government agencies, broke the story on the pay-for-play agreement for the first time on Sunday. It said that its Pacific reporting is funded by a no-strings-attached US government grant, as per The Asian Age.
The records examined by BenarNews give detailed information about what was previously a well-kept secret in some circles in the Solomon Islands regarding gifts from the Chinese embassy intended for the local media. One of the two major newspapers in the Solomon Islands is The Solomon Star.
Alfred Sasako, the paper's senior journalist, chastised several Solomon Star reporters in an email on July 17 for their negative coverage of Sogavare's official visit to Beijing that month.
“I write to place on record my profound disappointment about our front page article, titled China Trip Exposed,” Sasako said in the email reviewed by BenarNews. “My further disappointment is the fact that such publicity makes it very difficult for me to deal with the Chinese Embassy on matters pertaining to Chinese Government support for the Solomon Star,” he said in the email that also extolled the benefits of China’s assistance to the Solomon Islands, The Asian Age reported.
An editorial in the Solomon Star’s last Tuesday edition defended its Chinese government funding and denied the Chinese embassy had reproached the newspaper for negative coverage or attempted to censor any reports.
“Yes, Solomon Star has nothing to hide,” said the article.
“We have received funding support from China.” It claimed that other media organizations and journalists in the Solomon Islands were also receiving or seeking Chinese government funding.
According to the funding document, the Chinese embassy was contacted by the Lamani family-owned Solomon Star in 2021 regarding financial assistance and agreed to contribute roughly USD 41,000. According to the statement, the agreed-upon financing was increased in June 2022 to roughly USD 1,33,000 based on a "new Project format" offered by the embassy.
The COVID-19 pandemic severely harmed the media outlet's finances, forcing it to fire half of its 100 employees, and outdated printing equipment occasionally prevented it from printing editions on schedule, according to the document, according to The Asian Age.
It expressed concern about delays in getting the funds for new printing equipment, which meant the “intent of our mutual partnership to inform, educate and entertain the people of Solomon Islands about China and its development marvels has suffered as well.”
The newspaper prints 6,000 copies each day, with a readership estimated to be double that. As it works to diplomatically isolate Taiwan and establish its own set of international institutions. China's most notable achievement in increasing its influence among Pacific island nations in recent years has been the Solomon Islands. The Solomon Islands have sought to gain from the competition between China and the US by gaining additional development aid under Sogavare.
The nation, which is an island 2,100 kilometres (1,300 miles) northeast of Brisbane, Australia, struggles with deteriorating roads, constrained connectivity, and a lack of fundamental healthcare. During his week-long visit to China last month, Sogavare was honoured by the country's leaders, The Asian Age reported.
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