Solomon Islands - August 2023

Leaked documents obtained by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project showed the Solomon Star, a major national newspaper, accepted over USD 130,000 from the Chinese government in exchange for a promise to “promote the truth about China’s generosity and its true intentions to help develop” the Solomon Islands. The newspaper used the funds to replace outdated or failing equipment. Its chief of staff denied that the agreement had impacted its coverage, but said that the Solomon Star had tried unsuccessfully to receive the same financial assistance from the Australian embassy for years and added “My summary on the whole thing is China is a doer, others are talkers. They spend too much time talking, nothing gets done.”

Sources: Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, Radio Free Asia