Foreign Minister Wang Yi visit

He made the comments after arriving in Solomon Islands on Thursday — his first stop on eight-nation tour of the Pacific during which he is seeking a sweeping regional deal on security and trade.

The Chinese minister dismissed international concerns about the security agreement Beijing sealed last month with Honiara, saying it was "above board, with honesty and integrity".

"It is not imposed on anyone, nor is it targeted at any third party," Mr Wang told a news conference after meeting with Solomon Islands Foreign Minister, Jeremiah Manele.

A statement on Monday said, "Mr Wang and his almost 20 member delegation will spend a day in Honiara, attending various high-level meetings, courtesy calls on the Prime Minister and acting Governor-General, and hosting a press conference alongside his counterpart, Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele."

It said "the highlight of the visit is the signing of several key bilateral agreements with the national government."

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare said the visit by Mr Wang will be a milestone in the Solomon Islands-China relationship.