“Solomon Islands authorities prevented a US Coast Guard ship from entering the port,” Stars and Stripes reported, citing a US Border Patrol statement.

In this regard, the representative of the US Coast Guard in Honolulu, Kristen Kam, indicated that the USS Oliver Henry was scheduled to patrol near the Solomon Islands, and requested entry to the capital of the islands, the port of Honiara, for refueling. and consumables.

She stressed that “However, the Solomon Islands Government did not respond to the United States Government’s request for diplomatic clearance to allow the ship to refuel and resupply at Honiara”, explaining that “the ship was therefore forced to head to Papua”. New Guinea.”

At the same time, the newspaper reported that “the authorities of the Solomon Islands at that time also did not allow the British patrol ship Spey to enter the port in question”, emphasizing that “the refusal to enter the US Coast Guard vessel increases fears that the Solomon Islands may cut off communication with western countries in favor of China.