THE United States officially re-opened an embassy in the Solomon Islands on Thursday as part of Washington’s bid to boost relations in the Pacific region as a counter to China.

Re-establishing an embassy is a renewal “of our commitment to the people of Solomon Islands and our partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.

The US had closed its embassy in the capital Honiara in 1993 after the end of the Cold War led to a reduction in diplomatic posts and a shift in priorities.

Washington signalled an intention to re-establish an embassy in Honiara in early 2022 before the Solomons signed a secret security pact with China last April.

The deal, penned by Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare and Beijing, sparked fears among Western powers that the Solomons could provide China with a foothold in the Pacific.

Blinken added that the embassy’s re-opening “builds on our efforts to place more diplomatic personnel throughout the region and engage further with our Pacific neighbours”.

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The new embassy opened for business last week before a host of dignitaries attended Thursday’s official ceremony. AFP