Australian opposition party vows to train Pacific armies

By ROD McGUIRK
Associated Press

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia’s opposition party has promised to establish a Pacific defense school to train neighboring armies in response to China’s potential military presence on the Solomon Islands. The school is among a range of measures that the center-left Labor Party promised Tuesday to increase Australia’s engagement in its region if the opposition wins elections on May 21. Labor has criticized Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s conservative government over a security pact announced last week between China and the Solomon Islands. Morrison stood by his government’s record during its nine years in office, saying Australia provided the Pacific with $1.3 billion a year in aid.