In a passionate campaign speech, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has criticized democracy for promoting LGBTQ culture and praised China’s system of governance for its economic success.It comes at a time when Beijing is competing with Australia and the US for influence over the Pacific nation, with Sogavare being the foremost advovate for closer ties with China.
The prime minister, who is widely expected to win reelection on April 17, told a campaign rally in Auki, the capital city of Malaita Province, that democracy allows you to “do whatever you want”.”Men can marry men, women can marry women – those are the principles associated with the values of democracy,”
“You have to ask yourself, what values are you comfortable with as a Christian country?”
The Solomon Islands is a conservative Christian nation in which same-sex relations are illegal for both men and women. PM Sogavare also said China had embraced a “socialist system of government” that was “Chinese style”, which has resulted in its economic progress.”You don’t see beggars in China asking for money –you can see that in every major city in the United States and it’s supposed to be the number one economy in the world,” he further said.
PM Sogavare also said that his decision to change diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China has “put the Solomon Islands on the map”.
