Voters in the Solomon Islands are casting their ballots in a general election that is being closely watched by Australia, China and the United States for its potential impact on regional security.The election on Wednesday is the first since the government of Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare switched formal diplomatic ties to China from Taiwan and he has pledged to further bolster relations with Beijing if he is reelected. His main challengers want to tone down Beijing’s influence.Polling stations in the archipelago of 720,000 people opened at 7am on Wednesday (20:00 GMT on Tuesday), with voting in national and provincial elections being held on the same day for the first time. Police from Australia, Fiji, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea are assisting the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force with security.
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