China’s Pacific ally Solomon Islands to elect new leader

INTERNATIONAL –  OCEANIA

15 MAY 2026

• The Solomon Islands Parliament will elect a new Prime Minister, after Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele was ousted in a no-confidence vote.
• The Solomons has been one of Beijing’s closest partners in the South Pacific since striking a secret security deal in 2022, and leadership changes in the strategically located archipelago are closely watched by Western diplomats.
• The government policies have been dominated by infrastructure projects built by China after the Solomon Islands switched ties from Taiwan to Beijing in 2019.
• Solomon Island would likely continue to balance ties with China and Australia, a major aid donor.