US opens embassy in Solomon Islands to counter China

By NICK PERRY
Associated Press

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The United States has opened an embassy in the Solomon Islands in its latest move to counter China’s push into the Pacific. The embassy is starting small, with a chargé d’affaires, a couple of State Department staff and a handful of local employees. The U.S. previously operated an embassy in the Solomon Islands for five years before closing it in 1993 as part of a global reduction in diplomatic posts after the end of the Cold War. But China’s assertive moves in the region have the U.S. seeking to increase its engagement in a number of ways.