Solomon Airlines to buy Chinese aircraft

[Office Update]

ABC News reports suggest leaked documents reveal one of China's largest defence and aerospace companies promised to upgrade almost three dozen airstrips in the Solomon Islands as part of an ambitious plan to transform the Pacific Island country into an aeronautical hub for the region.

In return Solomon Islands government said it would purchase six aircraft from AVIC the Chinese State owned defence company.

The Solomon's will receive direct flights from China.

[Capt Fathom]

The Solomon's will receive direct flights from China.

Yeah… Military flights!

[Ixixly]

Let me guess, 6 x Harbin Y12s? How'd that work out for Vanuatu?

This is a played out trick, they purchase the aircraft under very "Favourable" terms that hide all sorts of gotchas, all of a sudden they can't make the payments, and China very graciously offers to let them keep them but in return for something else...like mining or fishing rights...

The next step is that with such a great relationship they'll ask to build a Chinese Embassy there that'll have a few very mysterious sets of antennas on the top and some rooms that don't seem to appear on any of the public plans.

This isn't conspiracy nonsense, they've done this plenty of times already, Vanuatu being one of the most recent.

[sunnySA]

My guess is that China has pointed out to the Solomon Islands their successes in "building" islands in the North Filipino South China Sea and that they can help them with climate change by elevating their land surfaces to a higher plane.

[Gnadenburg]

I’d expect emerging civil disobedience in the Solomon’s sponsored by Western powers. It is going to be fascinating how this all plays out. A classic scenario could emerge driving a Thucydides Trap, whereby the US and CCP drawn closer to conflict. It’s also fascinating that this security pact leaked during an election campaign damaging the Liberal-khaki strategy. Classic political interference from the CCP.

I trust our military establishment wakes ups to the fact that eastern seaboard bases are now not parade grounds, but frontline bases if the Solomon’s security pact sees forward deployments of CCP resources- long range missiles for example.

[chimbu warrior]

Let me guess, 6 x Harbin Y12s? How'd that work out for Vanuatu?

Dreadful aircraft, and I wouldn't want one even for free. Poorly designed, and not a patch on the Canadian marvel that it was supposed to compete with.

IIRC Vanuatu gave a couple of their Y12's to Air Kiribati; maybe they didn't like the i-Kiribati?

[43Inches]

I remember a few Y-12-IIs being operated by Air Fiji as far back as the mid 90s, they seemed to hang onto theirs for a while, until the airline went bust in the 2000s, never noticed much wrong as a passenger on them. The new Y-12F looks like a complete redesign with more aerodynamic bits and retractable U/C. Could be worse, as in the MA-60 type, those things have a nasty history. At least the MA-700 and Y-12F look modernish...

[Less Hair]

Isn't this Commonwealth? So does it all happen under UK watch? It will not be the last one if this works out for them.

[601]

that they can help them with climate change by elevating their land surfaces to a higher plane.
I guess that is one way of using the ash from all the coal fired power stations.
The more coal we burn the ash we have to raise your land because of the rising water level caused by us burning more coal so we will have more ash - I think I've been here before!
And here in Oz, we cop it in the neck for not cutting back!!