China Sam Group of China signed an agreement to hire the entire Tulagi island of Solomon Island last month.

"Party A, Tulagi province of Solomons is ready for Party B, China Sam leases all of Tulagi and surrounding islands to develop special economic zone," AFP today quoted the agreement between the two sides, adding that The economic development here could be any suitable industry, including oil and gas.

In a statement today, China Sam Group is committed to working with the Solomon Islands nation in a number of areas including trade, infrastructure, fisheries and tourism.

Tulagi is a small island with an area of about 2 km2 and a population of 1,200 people. This was the former Japanese naval base, and there was fierce fighting during World War II.

The agreement to lease Tulagi island between China Sam China Group and Solomon province comes just one day after China and the Pacific island nation officially established diplomatic relations. Taiwan's diplomatic agency said on September 16 that it had cut ties with Solomon after the island nation made similar moves.

"It's not uncommon for Beijing to promise special economic zones to developing and near-developing countries," said Jonathan Pryke, Pacific program researcher at the Lowy Institute, based in Sydney, Australia. like desperate about investing. " Pryke said that Tulagi has a deep-water port that could develop into a long-term strategic base of Beijing.

Tulagi island location on Solomon map. Graphics: Asia Times.