Jeremiah Manale is new prime minister of Solomon Islands

Melbourne, May 2 (AP) Solomon Islands lawmakers on Thursday chose former Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manale as the new prime minister of the South Pacific island nation that has grown closer to China in recent years.

The withdrawal of pro-Beijing former Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare from the contest to remain head of the government to make way for Manale as their party's candidate is an indication the country could follow a similar direction.

The prime minister was chosen in a secret ballot of 49 lawmakers who won general elections on April 17.

Governor General David Vunagi said Manale received 31 votes.

Sogavare had hoped to become the first Solomons prime minister to maintain power in consecutive four-year terms following the election. During his previous term, China's influence increased more in the Solomons than anywhere else in the South Pacific.

Sogavare switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to Beijing and struck a secret security pact that has raised fears of the Chinese navy gaining a foothold in the region.

Meg Keen, the director of the Pacific Islands program for Lowy Institute, a Sydney-based international policy think tank, said Manale will be a “less fiery and combative leader for the West to manage but he will continue to pursue close relations with China.” “As the former foreign minister he helped broker the security deal with China that panicked the West. But he is also a seasoned diplomat with experience at the UN and in western countries -- he's no stranger to western engagement,” Keen said in an email.

She said Sogavare had pulled out of the race because his party's loss of several lawmakers at the election was evidence that voters wanted change. AP