The Solomon Islands government has secured a $US66 million loan from China for tech giant Huawei to expand the country's telecommunications network.
The Solomon Islands Government says the US$66m loan will allow up to 161 telecommunication towers to be built. Photo: boscorelli
The Solomon Islands National Broadband Infrastructure project is being described as a "historical financial partnership". It aims to see up to 161 telecommunication towers constructed around the country over the course of the next three years.
It is the first major loan the country has received from Beijing since the signing of its security pact with China earlier this year.
The stadium infrastructure for the 2023 Pacifc Games being constructed by China in the capital Honiara is purportedly all being paid for by grants from Beijing, a gift to the country after Taiwan cut diplomatic ties with Honiara in 2019.
The work is set to be funded through a 20-year concessional loan from the state-linked Bank of China.
The government hoped local telecom company contracts could be finalised by the end of this year so the project could get underway.
A hoped-for completion ahead of the Pacific Games in November 2023 would allow people who were unable to travel to Honiara to enjoy the games' coverage via the internet, the government said.
Australia National University researcher, Amanda Watson, says regardless of the political strings, the construction of the towers would benefit Solomon Islanders.
"I would be happy about any intiative that would seek to increase mobile network coverage for communities that don't currently have reliable coverage. And that is because of things such as medical emergencies, natural disasters, and other kinds of things where a telephone call could literally save someone's life."