A leaked draft of a security pact between the two sides contains a provision that would allow Chinese naval deployments to the island nation, which is less than 2,000 kilometres (1,200 miles) from Australia.
Beijing hopes regional island nations will accept its Common Development Vision — a major cooperation deal, ranging from fisheries to security, that has alarmed US and its regional partners.
Recent opinion polls have put the opposition Australian Labor Party led by Anthony Albanese ahead of the Liberal Party of Australia led by incumbent PM Scott Morrison.
PM Manasseh Sogavare rejects criticism of the new maritime investment deal with Beijing, saying it's a "normal bilateral development initiative" that is yet to be formalised.
China has recently signed a security pact with the Solomon Islands, a tiny Pacific state close to Australia, angering the Western alliance.
PM Manasseh Sogavare asks all allies, neighbours and friends to respect the Pacific nation's sovereign interests, saying cooperation with Beijing is not directed at any countries or external alliances.
China and the Solomon Islands have initialled a draft security agreement, sparking concerns among regional players such as Australia.
Solomons government says it has accepted Beijing's offer of six "liaison officers" to train its police force and equipment including shields, helmets, batons, and other "non-lethal" gear.
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare said the "recent events were well planned and orchestrated" to remove him as the premier "for unsubstantiated reasons."
More than a hundred people were arrested as police found three charred bodies in a store in the Chinatown district.
Chronic unemployment and governance are the main triggers of public discontent that have morphed into a massive agitation.
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare claimed foreign powers opposed to his 2019 decision to switch the Solomons' diplomatic allegiance from Taiwan to China were behind the disturbances.
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