Spokesman for the Foreign Ministry Wang Wenbin said the agreement is part of normal cooperation exchanges, does not target third countries and does not seek to replace similar pacts between the Solomon Islands with other governments in the world.

As he reiterated, the agreement contemplates the protection of lives and property, provision of humanitarian aid and response to natural disasters.

The official railed at the criticism of the United States and its allies against the agreement and deplored that they try to interfere in the decision of an independent and sovereign country.

The spokesman confirmed on Tuesday that the Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, and his counterpart from the Solomon Islands, Jeremiah Manele, sgined the agreement in recent days with the main purpose, among others, of maintaining social order in the islands.

Both countries signed the agreement after violent anti-government protests at the end of last year in the capital, home to nearly 2600 Chinese residing on the island territory.

During the events, more than a hundred stores and other businesses in the capital’s Chinatown were targeted by attacks and suffered extensive damage.

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