In the Solomon Islands, a US agency's struggles hint at China's influence

In the meantime, the Peace Corps continues to miss deadlines to secure funding from the US Congress to support its work in the Solomon Islands. "The Chinese influenced the Solomon Islands cabinet's decision to pause approval for the Peace Corps to return to the islands," a former US official, who is familiar with the negotiations to bring back the Peace Corps, told Al Jazeera on condition of anonymity. "Initial euphoria over the US announcement that Peace Corps Volunteers would return was dampened by senior Solomon Islands officials as they introduced delay after delay in negotiating the Peace Corps agreement," the former official said. The Peace Corps declined to provide a comment, although its 2024 budget report released in March stated the agency was "Close to finalising agreements" with the Solomon Islands. The Peace Corps' apparent difficulties in the Solomon Islands point to the seeming limits of Washington's ability to stymie China's rising influence in the Pacific. Western officials fear such largesse is an example of China laying the groundwork for an expanded military presence in the Pacific, possibly including a naval base in Solomon Islands or another Pacific island nation. "Prime Minister Sogavare has no choice but to cleave to the People's Republic of China [PRC] for his political survival and legacy but not all Solomon Islanders support the Sogavare-PRC symbiotic relationship," US diplomats said last year in a cable obtained by Al Jazeera via a freedom of information request.