The Solomon Islands in the South Pacific are a militarily crucial location for any Pacific power interested in threatening the continent of Australia.  That's why the fighting at Guadalcanal, one of the Solomons, was so fierce during World War II.  At that time, the expansionary Pacific power was Japan, while today it is China, but the strategic value of the Solomons remains the same. That's why alarm bells are going off in Canberra over this news, coming from Andrew Tillett of the Australian Financial Review (paywalled): Revelations a Chinese company linked to a state-owned enterprise is trying to lease an entire island in the Solomon Islands for up to 75 years has sparked fresh alarm that it could pave the way for Beijing to establish a Pacific military base on a strategic gateway to Australia. The island's Central Province government last month signed an investment agreement with the China Sam Enterprise Group to develop the...(Read Full Post)