Local media in Solomon Islands pledged loyalty to China in return for $140K
Solomon Star is a major newspaper in the Solomon Islands
Local media in the Solomon Islands, a strategically placed country in the Pacific, have been accused of compromising their independence in return for hefty Chinese money.
The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) reported that a major newspaper in the country entered into an agreement with a Chinese news company and received financial assistance worth $140,000.
The Solomon Star in return pledged to “promote the truth about China’s generosity and its true intentions to help develop.”
The Guardian quoted a local journalist as saying that some newspapers in the country have even received luxurious cars, cameras, phones and printing machinery, thanks to obtrusive funding from the Chinese government.
Solomon Star sent funding proposal to Chinese embassy
Staff at OCCRP obtained a July 2022 draft proposal sent by Solomon Star to the Chinese embassy in the country, which outlined why it required SBD 1,150,000 (about $137,000) in financial assistance.
)
The Royals enter the Doctor Who universe: King Charles and Queen Camilla beam into Commonwealth Games in TARDIS
)
DMK founder Karunanidhi’s granddaughter booked for slapping SBI branch manager | Video
)
WATCH | Tim David reacts after controversial dismissal against Usman Tariq
)
NEET row: PM Modi appoints Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani as head of new exam reforms task force
)
India avoids higher US tariff, secures lower 10% rate. Here's how
)
Hidden in British archives: Scientists decode 200-year-old Indian scroll that helped sailors cross one of the world's toughest seas
)
He predicted COVID-19 and 2008 economic crisis, was labeled fearmonger. Now he has another dire warning
)
Iran tells Pakistan it has not withdrawn from negotiations but suspended them: Report
)
'House raided, father picked up': UP man Mohd Junaid alleges crackdown after CJP protest; Police deny claims
)
Houthis strike Saudi oil facilities, shoot down drone in escalating tensions: VIDEO
)
Oil tanker explodes in the Strait of Hormuz after hitting a naval mine
)
ChatGPT invoked God, told pastor not to worry about his symptoms. Then pulmonary embolism hit
)
Ranbir Kapoor's Ramayana trailer leaks online again; fans urge for official release
)
NEET Protests riddled with misinformation? Delhi Police blocks 480 Pakistan-based handles spreading 'fake news' since Operation Sindoor
)
India's foreign ministry debunks viral claim made during last week's protests
)
Indian Idol 16 crowns Jyotirmayee Nayak; Tanishk Shukla finishes second
)
Trump says Iranian school bombing photos could be AI-generated - 'I don’t think...'
)
Lock Upp elimination takes dramatic turn as Shivangi Joshi's candid admission grabs attention
)
Google ends Play Services Support, likely to stop these Android phones from downloading apps & games
)
US says Turkey still barred from F-35 program until it gives up Russian S-400 system: Report
)
Bihar wants 'backless Saturday’ in govt schools as official notice misspells 'bagless'
)
Nandan Nilekani, Infosys co-founder and Aadhaar architect, to lead PM’s high-powered task force
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Nostradamus prophecies for 2026: Bees, 7 months great war, 3 fires and more
)
Dhanush breaks silence on National Award backlash with Ajith Kumar's iconic dialogue, 'If you're bad, I'm your dad'
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why US fighter jets use seamless bubble canopies compared to Russian jets
)
Pakistan army chief used private oil venture to keep Iran attacks off Saudi Arabia: Report
)
Russia-Ukraine War | 12 Killed in Zaporizhzhia Strike | Zelenskyy Warns of New Russian Mobilization
)
‘Don't cry after elections': Owaisi extends alliance offer to Akhilesh for UP polls
)
Berlin Pride attack suspect shot dead by police; incident classified as ‘Islamist terror’ attack
)
Jennifer Lopez's ex-husband Ojani Noa claims he confronted Sean 'Diddy' Combs over alleged affair
The proposal said the company needed equipment, including a replacement for its ageing printer and a broadcast tower. It added how the old equipment was causing editions to come out late and “curtailing news flow about China’s generous and lightning economic and infrastructure development in the Solomon Islands.”
The proposal repeatedly mentioned assurances from senior staff at the newspaper that their coverage will be in favour of China on key issues of importance.
In interviews, both the Solomon Star’s then-publisher, Catherine Lamani, and its chief of staff, Alfred Sasako, confirmed the paper had made the proposal, but declined to speak in detail about it, OCCRP reported.
Newspaper expresses frustration
Alfred Sasako claimed that “China is a doer, others are talkers,” adding that they tried getting assistance from the Australian embassy for so long but to no avail.
“Other Western countries, such as the United States, had neglected the Solomon Islands for decades and were only now showing interest because of anxiety over Chinese influence,” he added.
Watch:US & allies working to COUNTER China's influence
He also made it clear that despite Chinese influence, they maintained their independence.
How Chinese embassy filled the void?
The Chinese embassy has been urging Solomon Islands' local media to form informal collaborations with Chinese newspapers and broadcasters.
Following the leak of the security deal between China and the Solomon Islands last year and the ensuing response from Western nations, the Chinese embassy swiftly engaged with local media.
On April 8, 2022, a two-hour Zoom meeting was arranged by the embassy, connecting local media groups with counterparts from Guangdong province, China. The objective was to foster connections between various news organisations.
Notable attendees at this meeting included representatives from the Solomon Star and Islands Sun newspapers of the country.
WATCH WION LIVE HERE