Solomon Islands Denies Entry to US Coast Guard Ship | Farsnews Agency

The authorities of the Solomon Islands has denied entry to US Coast Guard Cutter (USCG) Oliver Henry for a routine logistics port call in Guadalcanal, near the country's capital city of Honiara, a spokeswoman for the 14th Coast Guard District in Honolulu said.

"The Government of the Solomon Islands did not respond to the US Government’s request for diplomatic clearance for the vessel to refuel and provision in Honiara," Lt. Kristin Kam said in an email to US newspaper Stars and Stripes on Thursday.

She added that CGC Oliver Henry changed its course accordingly and traveled to Papua New Guinea on Tuesday to refuel and provision. Kam did not specify when the vessel was initially expected to make the Guadalcanal port call.

"The US Department of State is in contact with the Government of the Solomon Islands and expect all future clearances will be provided to US ships," the spokeswoman added.

The US and the Solomon Islands have been allies since World War II, but have been drifting apart in recent decades, with the US even closing its embassy in Honiara in 1993. In 2019, the Solomon Islands started to develop ties with China, causing alarm and concern of its US and Australian partners.

In April, China and the Solomon Islands signed a framework agreement on security cooperation. Officials of both countries denied that China will build a military base there. Then-Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that the construction of a Chinese military base in the Solomon Islands will be a "red line" for Canberra and Washington.