China has announced that it’s signed the controversial deal with Solomon Islands, just a week after Australia launched a last-ditch diplomatic effort to stop it. Last night, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin confirmed the agreement would cover cooperation with Honiara on maintaining social order and helping safeguard national security, and that it was “not directed at any third party”. Our mob are deeply disappointed by the news, with Foreign Minister Marise Payne concerned about “its potential to undermine stability in our region.” Oz, New Zealand and the US have been pushing back against the prospect of having the Chinese military in the southwest Pacific more frequently. Payne says the commitment from Solomons PM Manasseh Sogavare that his country “will never be used for military bases or other military institutions of foreign powers” will be key. It comes as America’s top diplomat in the Indo-Pacific Kurt Campbell leads a delegation to Honiara to “share concerns” later this week. Too late, Kurt…