The Solomon Islands have defended their planned security cooperation with China, but at the same time made it clear that there will be no Chinese naval base on the archipelago.
"There is no intention of asking China to build a military base in Solomon Islands," Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare told Solomon Islands Parliament on Tuesday.
Such "baseless stories" are offensive.
Sogavare turned against criticism of New Zealand and Australia on the agreement with China.
The Prime Minister assured that nothing would change in the existing partnership with Australia.
However, the Solomon Islands did not want to "choose sides." "It is clear that we need to diversify the country's relations with other partners, and what is wrong with that?" to regulate affairs as a sovereign state.
Last week, media reported that Beijing and the Solomon government in Honiara could potentially strike a security pact that would allow China to deploy troops.
According to this, Chinese naval ships should also be allowed to dock.
A draft framework agreement was circulating on the internet.
The reports sparked concerns in Australia about a possible development of a Chinese naval base at its northeastern neighbor.
The governments in Australia and New Zealand had previously criticized the planned agreement.
On Monday, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the deal poses a risk of "potential militarization of the region".
With regard to security in the Pacific, your country sees no need for a Chinese military presence in the Solomon Islands.
After the archipelago gave up diplomatic recognition of Taiwan and established relations with Beijing, serious riots broke out in November, which were also directed against Chinese businessmen.
China's leaders do not allow their diplomatic partners to maintain relations with both Taipei and Beijing because they see democratic Taiwan as part of the People's Republic.
Australia had also sent soldiers and police officers to the Solomon Islands in the wake of the unrest.