The vessel, named the Oliver Henry, was on patrol as part of an international mission to prevent illegal fishing when it tried to stop to refuel on the island of Guadalcanal, according to the Stars and Stripes newspaper. Coast Guard Lt. Christine Cam told the newspaper, which provides news to members of the US military, that there had been no response from the Solomon Islands government for diplomatic permission to stop the vessel. The mission was completed on Friday after the Oliver Henry was moved to Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea. The US Coast Guard is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement branch of the Armed Forces. It said the cutter arrived in Papua New Guinea, about 1,800 kilometers (497 miles) from the Solomon Islands, on Tuesday “after patrolling parts of the Coral Sea and the Solomon Islands”. The Royal Navy did not directly comment on reports that HMS Spey, which was also involved in the mission, was also denied access to a port in the Solomon Islands. “Ship schedules are under constant review and it is routine practice for them to change,” the Royal Navy said. “For operational security reasons we are not discussing details. The Royal Navy looks forward to visiting the Solomon Islands at a later date.” During the mission, called Operation Island Chief, the US, Australia, Britain and New Zealand provided support through air and surface surveillance for the Pacific island nations participating in the operation, including the Solomon Islands. Image: Manasseh Sogavare, right, the leader of the Solomon Islands, hosted Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in May. Photo: AP The vessel was not allowed to stop in the country at a time when China is aggressively trying to expand its presence and influence in the Pacific. Manasseh Sogavare, the prime minister of the Solomon Islands, raised concerns this year when he announced he had signed a new security pact with China. The pact has raised fears of a Chinese naval base 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) off Australia’s northeast coast. Read more: Clash of superpowers – could China and the US go to war? Why Nancy Pelosi’s Taiwan trip is so controversial China warns US not to ‘play with fire’ on Taiwan during Xi-Biden call A Chinese military presence in the Solomon Islands would put it not only on the doorstep of Australia and New Zealand, but also close to Guam, the US territory that hosts major military bases. Both the Solomon Islands and China have denied that their pact will lead to a Chinese military base in the South Pacific. Mr Sogavare also raised eyebrows earlier in August when he skipped a commemoration ceremony on the anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal, a key World War II battle in which US and other allied forces wrested control of the islands from the Imperial Japan. Wendy Sherman, the US deputy secretary of state, whose father was wounded during the Guadalcanal campaign and attended the memorial service, said Mr Sogavare “missed an important opportunity” by not attending. Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player 13:19 Could there be a US-China war? US Senator Marsha Blackburn met with Mr Sogavare in the Solomon Islands on Wednesday, but it was not clear whether she raised the issue of the coast guard’s denial of a port visit. The Tennessee Republican said in a statement on her website that her visit to the Solomon Islands as well as Fiji and Papua New Guinea “was an important step in demonstrating America’s commitment to the region and expanding our strategic relationship.” . Lt. Cam told Stars and Stripes that the US State Department had been in contact with the Solomon Islands government after the port visit was denied and that they “expect all future permits to be provided to US vessels”. The development comes weeks after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan sparked one of the biggest escalations in US-China tensions in years. Beijing believes Taiwan is rightfully part of its country – and President Xi Jinping has not ruled out military force to bring the island to China. Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden reinforced America’s commitment to the island, even saying they would be willing to defend it militarily.
