Clarity Sought Over Beijing’s $30 Million Bailout of Solomon Islands

Independent MPs in the Solomon Islands are demanding the country’s prime minister, Jeremiah Manele, clarify the details of a $30 million (US$20 million) bailout provided by Beijing. Announcing the agreement yesterday, Mr. Manele referred to it as “budgetary support,” but the MPs say Parliament hasn’t been told whether this is a grant or a loan. After talks with Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping, the prime minister announced the funding, hailing Beijing’s “transformative” presence in one of the world’s poorest countries. The Asian Development Bank said, “with persistent budget deficits and rising public debt, fiscal discipline must be a priority for the … government.”...