The island nation has been at the center of a diplomatic tussle in the southern Pacific Ocean between the United States, Australia, and their allies on one side and an increasingly assertive China on the other, reports Voice of America.

"About China, this is a sensitive issue we discussed, and I assured Australia when I met with Anthony Albanese yesterday that we will not allow such to happen," Sogavare said in a written reply to questions sent by AFP as quoted by VOA.

The Solomon Islands switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 2019 and signed its security pact with China earlier this year.