STORY: "I declare that honorable Jeremiah Manele is the Prime Minister of Solomon Islands..."

Lawmakers in Solomon Islands picked Jeremiah Manele as their new prime minister on Thursday, a move that keeps the Pacific Islands nation as an ally of China.

Speaking outside parliament, Manele pledged to unveil new policies soon, as the economy slowly recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic and 2021 anti-government riots.

"The recent report by the Central Bank on the state of our economy is concerning and calls for a more focused and aggressive approach. It is not an easy task but we will be reaching out to all relevant stakeholders as we progress on a road to recovery."

Manele was foreign minister and had travelled to China in 2019 to formalize the Solomons' switch in diplomatic ties from Taiwan to Beijing.

On Monday, Manele said he would keep the "same foreign policy basis - friends to all and enemies to none."

His elevation to the top job comes after weeks of fierce competition with opposition parties to win support from independents.

Last month's national election saw Manele's party, under incumbent Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, lose half of its parliamentary seats - but also delivered no majority to any party.

The election has been closely watched by China, the United States and neighboring Australia because of the potential impact on regional security:

Sogavare struck a controversial security pact with China in 2022, which involved inviting Chinese police into the Solomon Islands.

The opposition coalition has been critical of the pact and favored a return to closer ties with countries like Australia and the U.S.

On Thursday, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on social media he looked forward to working closely with Manele, saying their two countries were "close friends" with connected futures.

While the Solomons' Chinese embassy said in a Facebook post, it looked forward to working with him "to develop China-Solomon Islands relations and deliver more benefits to our peoples".