_{By Gina Maka’a}

A second group of Solomon Islands journalists left the country today on a week-long “look and learn” trip to China with other Pacific Islands journalists.

It came at the back of a two-week trip the nation’s provincial premiers and officials of the Ministry of Provincial Government and Honiara City Council undertook recently to the communist nation.

This second group includes two from the Prime Minister’s Office, two from Island Sun newspaper, and one from Tavuli News.

No information about this trip was made available, and the Chinese Embassy in Honiara has not responded to our queries.

In-depth Solomons, however, understands China is meeting the cost of the trip.

The first group of journalists to visit China came straight after Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare switched the country’s diplomatic ties from Taiwan to China in September 2019.

It included 13 senior journalists from the mainstream media, Office of the Prime Minister and freelancers.

Leading journalist Dorothy Wickham was one of the 12.

On her group’s return, she penned an opinion piece.

Wickham said while in China, they visited the newsrooms of CCTV and their international branch CGTN. 

“The size of their staff numbers and the digital system they were using were, to us, the equivalent to going to the moon. 

“I was pleased to get the chance to attend a press conference at the ministry of foreign affairs. Conducted fully in Mandarin, the only words I could make out were ‘Donald Trump’.”

In China, Wickham said they were closely monitored, and given the language barrier, there was never going to be any real chance to speak spontaneously or confidentially with ordinary Chinese citizens about the reality of their lives.

“But that didn’t stop us from discussing the issues of freedoms and civil liberties constantly.

“We wondered out loud if our leaders actually understood how China carries out its diplomacy and if all we were hearing from around the Pacific and the world, about China being a bully, was true or not. 

“But then again Australia who we largely see as a friendly and decent neighbour is still locking up those seeking refuge on their shores, so what exactly should we expect from this communist dictatorship?” Wickham wrote.

Media in China is strictly controlled and censored by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), with the main agency that oversees the nation’s media being the Central Propaganda Department of the CCP.

China has been inviting local officials and groups for visits since the two countries set up diplomatic ties.

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has been there twice, so as some of his cabinet ministers and officials.

More than 100 Solomon Islands students are also studying there under China-funded scholarships.