Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has confirmed the visit from Wang Yi in a national address. Sogavare said that his country would "receive a high-level visit from the government of the People's Republic of China later this week".

 

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation has been told the Foreign Minister will arrive in Solomon Islands late on Wednesday night, and that he will meet with Sogavare and other senior leaders on May 26.

 

His visit comes just weeks after the two countries agreed to a security pact.

 

The Solomon Islands government said yesterday that Wang and his 20-member delegation would spend a day in Honiara "attending various high-level meetings, courtesy calls on the Prime Minister and acting Governor-General, and hosting a press conference alongside his counterpart, Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele".

 

It said a highlight of the visit would be the signing of several key bilateral agreements with the national government, while praising the trip as a milestone in the relationship between the two countries.

 

Wang Yi is also expected to visit Fiji on Sunday and Monday, and Papua New Guinea next week on June 2 and 3.

 

Australia, New Zealand and the US have expressed concern over the visit.

 

Prime Minister James Marape has also confirmed that the Chinese embassy in Port Moresby had advised his government of the Foreign Minister's visit to PNG next week.

 

"The Foreign Minister is a high minister by ranking, in as far as the Chinese Government structure is concerned," he said.

 

"And, so, if he confirms to fly in here, the Papua New Guinean government will give him all the respect that he deserves, and all the protocols."