US Coast Guard cutter refused entry to Solomon Islands port, sparking concerns over growing Chinese influence

A US Coast Guard cutter patrolling as part of an international mission in the Pacific Ocean has been denied entry to a port in the Solomon Islands, raising concerns about the growing influence of China in the region.

The cutter Oliver Henry was taking part in Operation Island Chief monitoring fishing activity in the Pacific, which ended on Friday when it sought to make a planned stopover in Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, to refuel and resupply, the Coast Guard office in Honolulu said. .

However, there was no response from the Solomon Islands government to obtain diplomatic clearance for the ship to stop there, so the Oliver Henry diverted to Papua New Guinea, it said. the coastguards.

Additionally, it was reported that a British ship had also been refused entry, but Britain’s Royal Navy did not comment directly on this information.

COMMUNIST CHINA SURVIVOR WARNS AMERICANS: SOCIALISM IS JUST THE FIRST STEP

During Operation Island Chief, the United States, Australia, Great Britain and New Zealand provided support through aerial and surface surveillance for the Pacific island nations participating in the operation, including the Solomon Islands.

China has confidently tried to expand its presence and influence in the Pacific, and Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare alarmed some neighbors, the United States and others after signing a new security pact with China.

US REACTS IN KIND FOR FLIGHTS TO CHINA AFTER BEIJING SUSPENDS 26 FLIGHTS TO AMERICA

The pact has raised fears of establishing a Chinese naval base within 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) of Australia’s northeast coast. A Chinese military presence in the Solomon Islands would place it not only on the doorstep of Australia and New Zealand, but also close to Guam, the US territory that hosts major military bases.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission
(Ju Peng/Xinhua via Getty Images)

« China is gaining momentum in its drive to dominate the Pacific, » tweeted former US Department of Veterans Affairs Assistant Secretary James Hutton in response to the news.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“China now rules the Solomon Islands,” Gordon G. Chang, author of China’s impending collapse, posted on Twitter.

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare in Beijing on October 9, 2019.
(Xinhua/Yao Dawei)

The White House did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.

Associated Press contributed to this report.