New Solomons PM Emerges, But Questions Remain Over CCP Ties

Jeremiah Manele was the foreign minister of the Pacific Island and was involved in tightening ties with the CCP.

Former Solomon Islands Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele (L) shakes hands with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi to mark the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two nations at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing in September 2019. Naohiko Hatta - Pool/Getty Images

The election of former Foreign Affairs Minister Jeremiah Manele as the Solomon Islands’ new prime minister has raised questions over whether the Pacific Island will retain close ties with Beijing.

Mr. Manele was foreign minister when the national government dropped ties with Taiwan in 2019 in favour of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).