Honiara: In a notable development signaling China’s expanding footprint in the Pacific, authorities in Beijing have initiated a pilot program in the Solomon Islands that applies China’s domestic “Fengqiao” community surveillance model at the village level. The project aims to bolster local governance, public security, and social stability while deepening strategic ties between Honiara and Beijing.
The pilot initiative has been launched in Fighter 1 village, near the capital, Honiara. Chinese personnel are working alongside local communities to introduce a variety of monitoring measures, including household registration, palm and fingerprint collection, and community mapping. Surveillance drones have also been deployed, and educational activities involving children are organized to familiarize them with drone operations in a controlled setting. These measures reflect China’s ambition to replicate its domestic governance techniques in overseas locations under cooperative agreements.
The Fengqiao model emphasizes grid-style community oversight, whereby designated officials are assigned specific blocks or households to monitor social cohesion and prevent conflicts at an early stage. Experts, including Ben Hillman from the Australian Centre on China in the World, highlight that this system allows rapid identification of potential disturbances and promotes preemptive interventions. For the Solomon Islands, this represents a strategic partnership aligning with Beijing’s broader objective of increasing its influence in the Pacific, a region historically dominated by Western allies such as Australia and the United States.
Local reactions to the project are mixed. The Royal Solomon Islands Police Force has expressed support, describing the initiative as a tool to enhance public safety and improve social order. However, opposition figures and academics have raised concerns about the potential erosion of constitutional rights and civil liberties, warning that the system’s emphasis on surveillance and community reporting could pave the way for authoritarian practices. International human rights organizations have similarly emphasized the risks associated with privacy and individual freedoms.
The launch of the Fengqiao pilot program in the Solomon Islands represents a significant shift in the region’s security and governance landscape. Observers note that as China continues to export its domestic surveillance models abroad, the move may have far-reaching consequences for local governance, human rights, and the balance of geopolitical influence in the Pacific.