US Officials Speak Out Against Beijing, Solomon Islands After Diplomatic Breakup With Taiwan

Solomon Islands President Manasseh Sogavare (R) and Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen (L) inspect an honor guard during a welcome ceremony in Taipei on Sept. 26, 2017. Sam Yeh/AFP/Getty Images

After the Solomon Islands earlier in the week decided to ditch its decades-long diplomatic relationship with democratic Taiwan in favor of the Chinese Communist regime, U.S. officials have criticized the move, calling out Beijing for its coercion tactics.

Meanwhile, the decision has highlighted the Chinese regime’s ambitions in the Indo-Pacific region.