Solomon Islands Prime Minster Manasseh Sogavare singled out China for special thanks in a speech marking the country's national independence day.
In a speech today in Honiara, Mr Sogavare said the People's Republic of China was a new addition to the Solomon Islands, with the relationship between the two nations less than three years old. But he said that Beijing had already shown a genuine intention to be a good partner in the country's development.
And I thank you, Mr Sogavare said.
I thank you all. The Australian High Commissioner for Solomon Islands was next to the Chinese ambassador in the crowd.
Mr Sogavare said the past three years had been particularly challenging for the country, and he appeared to reference the recent tension between the two nations, even though he didn't mention Australia by name or single the country out for thanks.
He said that relationships can sour, but that's the nature of relationships.
We can find solutions to improve our relationships only by taking different views.
After the speech, Sogavare's minders promised the ABC an interview, but instead they escorted him to a nearby vehicle, with police blocking reporters from getting close to the Prime Minister.
The tiny nation of more than 900 islands has been hit with a lot of turmoil recently.
In November last year, violence and rioting rocked the country, with many demanding the resignation of Mr Sogavare. Angry mobs later torched buildings in Honiara's Chinatown.
Although locals suggested that some rioters were simply opportunist and angry, for many Solomon Islanders the unrest stems back to Mr Sogavare's decision to switch the country's diplomatic allegiances from Taiwan to China in the year 2019.
On Friday, Mr Sogavare declared that he wanted China to play a permanent role in training police in his country, and he flagged a new donation of police vehicles and equipment such as drones from Beijing.
He thought it was prudent to have Solomon Islands and the People's Republic of China start a discussion on how to elevate the joint training arrangement to a more permanent arrangement. News about the arrangement has only been trickling through, he said.
According to local media, Mr Sogavare and the government are less accessible to the press, with many feeling increased pressure to tow the government line.
The Australian High Commission to Solomon Islands sent out a tweet last night saying it was continuing to support security in Solomon Islands by providing rifles, training and strong governance. The ABC requested an interview with the commissioner last night.
In today's Independence Day speech, Mr Sogavare said national unity remained a huge challenge for the country.
Forty-four years ago, we were granted independence. He said something.
We have got everything to thank God for over the course of 44 years.
We nearly broke up on the word go, but God guided us through.