Solomon Island's United Party leader Peter Kenilorea Junior (right) is seen posing for a photograph at the South Sea Evangelical Church in Honiara, the Solomon Islands, on June 2, 2019. AAP Image/Darren England
A member of the Solomon Islands Parliament has expressed concern over his ruling coalition government’s decision to criticize him for traveling to Taiwan to attend a recent summit.
Peter Kenilorea Jr., a Solomon Islands United Party member, was among 49 politicians from 24 countries who participated in a summit in Taiwan’s capital Taipei last month. The summit was organized by the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), a group of more than 200 lawmakers from 40 countries who believe that coordinated responses are needed to confront the Chinese regime’s malign activities. Kenilorea is a co-chair of the alliance.
The Solomon Islands government released a statement on July 31, saying that Kenilorea’s participation “is an attempt to harm the Solomon Islands and the People’s Republic of China relations.” The government said it “respects the People’s Republic of China’s sovereignty” and “Taiwan is an integral part of the People’s Republic of China.”
“Calls for resumption of relations with Taiwan, China, by Hon. Peter Kenilorea is regrettable, and disappointing,” the statement reads.
On Aug. 5, the IPAC called the Solomon Islands government’s statement on Kenilorea’s participation in the Taipei summit “harshly worded,” while noting the language of the statement “is strikingly similar to” that of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, according to a post on social media platform X.
The Solomon Islands is ruled by the Government for National Unity and Transformation (GNUT), a coalition composed of the Ownership, Unity and Responsibility (OUR) Party, People’s First Party, and Padere Party, with Jeremiah Manele from OUR as the prime minister.
Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands Jeremiah Manele speaks during a joint press conference with Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (not pictured) at Parliament House in Canberra on June 26, 2024. David Gray/AFP via Getty Images
In 2019, then-Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, also from the OUR Party, ended the South Pacific nation’s 36-year diplomatic relationship with Taiwan and established diplomatic ties with communist China.
The Chinese regime claims Taiwan as a part of its territory and has threatened to reunite the island with the mainland through military force. However, Taiwan is a de-facto independent nation with its own democratic government, constitution, and military.
“I find it regrettable that the government would even release a statement that my participation at a Summit of like-minded MPs and Senators from some 24 countries is seeking to harm Solomon Islands and the People’s Republic of China,” Kenilorea said in a statement published by local newspaper Solomon Star.
He added, “Instead of harming Solomon Islands, the summit looked at ways that we as concerned MPs of the IPAC network can continue to spread the message in our respective Parliaments about perils any unilateral change to the Taiwan strait relations could bring.”
Kenilorea said he was aware of Beijing’s attempt to pressure some of his IPAC colleagues from traveling to Taipei. He met with those colleagues during the summit and was told the pressure campaign “resulted in strengthening their resolve to attend the summit.”
He said the Chinese Embassy in his country didn’t try to pressure him not to attend the summit. However, he added his government’s statement seemed to be a “veiled reference” suggesting he should not have traveled to Taiwan in the first place.
“It is truly regrettable and very concerning to read these sentiments that are aimed to restrict freedom of movement, expression, and conscience of our nation’s citizens, let alone a Member of Parliament. Or are we no longer a free country?” Kenilorea said.
“Instead of attempting to unreasonably restricting [sic] our freedoms guaranteed to our citizens by our constitution, it is the duty of a democratic government like GNUT to ensure that these freedoms are enjoyed as much as possible.”
Frank Fang
journalist
Frank Fang is a Taiwan-based journalist. He covers U.S., China, and Taiwan news. He holds a master's degree in materials science from Tsinghua University in Taiwan.
