TOKYO (Reuters) – Solomon Islands Prime Minister Mannaseh Sogavare told a visiting Japanese delegation on Tuesday that he had no intention of allowing China to build military bases in his country, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said.

China said it signed a security pact with the Solomon Islands earlier this month, prompting concern from Washington and its allies that the pact would significantly extend China’s military reach in the region.

Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka; Editing by Andrew Heavens