The Chinese plans for the Solomon Islands must be taken seriously

That is the danger we face today.

At the same time, China will continue to look at other strategic opportunities in the region - including our closest neighbour Papua New Guinea.

While progress so far has been slow - and that may be due to the PNG elections now just a month away - proposals for a large maritime base at Daru and a special economic zone  at nearly Kikori-Ihu remain on the agenda.

Reports that China is looking at a military base on the island of Manus are less plausible, given that Australia and the US are finally upgrading the existing naval base at Lombrum.

But there can be no doubt China will be looking at opportunities on the north coast of the PNG mainland, or elsewhere in the man islands in New Britain and Bougainvile which are strategically located for China.

Australia needs to get serious about countering the Chinese plans for a strategic presence in Papua New Guinea by offering to help rebuild the army, which has been run down for years, as well as under-resourced naval and air wing facilities.

What is being done on Manus is hopelessly slow, and nowhere big enough to make a difference.

When it comes to the Solomons my view is that it is just too late in the day. In just over 3 years since the Solomon Islands switched diplomatic allegiance from Taiwan to Beijing, the PRC has secured an effective stranglehold over key aspects of the SI economy - fisheries, timber, and increasingly mining, as well as the SI construction sector.

Our best hope, maybe our only hope, is for a change of government in Honiara. That just cannot be guaranteed.

In the meantime, our best strategy should be to move more effectively on rebuilding links with PNG. as well as Samoa, Tonga and Fiji

When it comes to the Solomons, we can just look on with alarm!