TVNZ: Solomon Islands government said that "contrary to the misinformation promoted by anti-government commentators" the agreement did not invite China to establish a military base.

"Government is conscious of the security ramification of hosting a military base, and it will not be careless to allow such initiative to take place under its watch," the statement said.

The statement seemed to more emphatically rule out the possibility of a base after Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare had earlier told parliament it had no intention of asking China to build a base.