Ships are docked offshore in Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands. (Reuters)Australian police will stay in the Solomon Islands to provide security for a regional sporting event in November and national elections in 2024, the Pacific Island nation's government has said. China, which has also stepped up its policing cooperation with the Solomon Islands, donated and constructed the Pacific Games stadiums. The island nation made a formal request to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Aug. 4 to extend the Australian police presence until June 2024 to cover the election, the statement said. Discussions with Australia, a major aid partner with a long-standing security relationship with the Solomon Islands, would continue on a "comprehensive security partnership beyond June 2024", the statement added.
