A new security partnership in the South Pacific is upsetting Australians and sparking concern about China’s ambitions in the region.

The Solomon Islands, a nation made up of hundreds of islands in the South Pacific, announced on Friday it is looking to “broaden” its security cooperation with “more partners,” most notably with China. In doing so, Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare is entering his country into a partnership that will strain relations with Australia, the first country the Solomon Islands ever entered into a security agreement with back in 2017.