Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison
Photo:
str/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images
Barack Obama’s
credibility never recovered after he failed to enforce an announced red line in Syria. It’s no exaggeration to say that whether a national leader keeps his word on such issues can change history. That’s why Australian Prime Minister
Scott Morrison’s
recent remarks about Chinese power in the Pacific are worth noting.
“I share the same red line that the United States has when it comes to these issues,” Mr. Morrison said Sunday of China’s growing influence in the Solomon Islands. “We won’t be having Chinese military naval bases in our region, on our doorstep.” He declined to elaborate on how Canberra would respond if his red line is crossed.
The comments follow news last week that China has signed a security agreement with the Solomon Islands. This is the latest win for Beijing in the small but strategically located nation, which welcomed Chinese assistance after domestic unrest last year. The final deal hasn’t been made public, but a draft leaked last month suggested the Chinese could eventually establish a foothold for troops and naval vessels only 1,200 miles from Australia.
The small nation’s prime minister has said the agreement “is not about China establishing a military base in Solomon Islands but is about supporting the state to address its internal hard and soft security threats.” China’s Foreign Ministry calls talk of a base…