‘China funded over USD 130,000 to Solomon Islands newspaper for favourable coverage’

HONIARA: The Chinese government granted more than USD 130,000 to Solomon Islands news company in exchange for agreeing to “promote the truth about China’s generosity and its true intention to help develop” the Pacific island country, a funding document and email reviewed by Radio Free Asia-affiliated news organization BenarNews has revealed.

After the Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare shifted the island nation’s diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to Beijing in 2019, the nation became a hotspot in the rivalry between China and the United States.

In 2022, the Solomons signed a security pact with China sparking alarm for the US and allies like Australia, who fear that it could result in China’s military presence in the region, Radio Free Asia reported.

According to a funding proposal made to the Chinese embassy in July 2022 by the owner of the Solomon Star newspaper and Paoa FM radio station, a collaboration will benefit Beijing by “promoting China as the most gener-ous and trusted development partner in the Solomon Islands,” the report said.

The Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, which is funded by nonprofit organisations and gov-ernment agencies, first reported about the pay-for-play agreement. It said that its Pacific reporting is funded by a no-strings-attached US government grant, Radio Free Asia reported.

The documents examined by BenarNews give detailed information about what was previously an open 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.

The documents reviewed by BenarNews provide specific details of what was an open secret in some circles in the Solomon Islands about the money or gifts from China’s embassy directed at the country’s media. The Solomon Star is one of the two main newspapers in the Pacific Island nation.

Solomon Star’s senior journalist Alfred Sasako sent an email to the newspaper’s reporters. In the email, Sasako reprimanded the reporters for critical coverage of Sogavare’s official visit to Beijing in July, according to Radio Free Asia report.

In the email reviewed by BenarNews, Sasako said, “I write to place on record my profound disappointment about our front page article, titled China Trip Exposed,” Radio Free Asia reported.

“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 praised the benefits of China’s assistance to the Solomon Islands.

An editorial in the Solomon Star’s Tuesday edition defended its Chinese government funding. It further denied that the Chinese embassy had disapproved of the newspaper for negative coverage or attempted to censor any reports. (ANI)

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