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International relations

Solomon Islands grapples with disinformation as China stands to gain

Nikkei analysis hints at Beijing's influence through social media

The Solomon Islands established formal diplomatic relations with China in 2019 after cutting ties with Taiwan.   © Reuters

TOKYO -- The Solomon Islands, a strategically important Pacific island nation caught in a battle of influence between Beijing and Washington, has seen a pattern of questionable information emerge in recent years when anti-China sentiment peaks, a Nikkei analysis shows.

This past March, word began to spread on social media in the Solomon Islands of a plot to assassinate Manasseh Sogavare, the country's China-friendly prime minister. An "American hitman backed by USA government will be in Solomon Islands for this hunt," one post claimed.

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