By Zac de Silva and Lucinda Garbutt-Young in Canberra

Crowds of school students waving the Solomon Islands and Australian flags have greeted the Pacific nation’s leader at Parliament House ahead of formal talks expected to cover defence, security and economic ties.

Newly elected Prime Minister Matthew Wale is in Canberra for his first overseas trip since being elected in May, with Australia hoping to start work on a new comprehensive treaty between the two nations.

Mr Wale has long been an advocate for diplomatically tying his country to Australia, but it’s the Pacific nation’s relationship with China that has drawn attention.

The Solomon Islands and China signed a security pact in 2022, which partially eclipsed the bilateral security arrangement Australia has had with its Pacific neighbour since 2017.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the government would work closely with the Solomon Islands to improve the lot of both countries.

“We know (Mr Wale) comes to the job with a great deal of ambition, he comes to the job with very clear plans for his country,” Senator Wong told reporters at Parliament House on Wednesday.

Asked whether she expected to sign any new agreements with the Solomon Islands in the coming year, Senator Wong said she would be led by Mr Wale and his government’s priorities.

Mr Wale has been critical of the Solomons’ relationship with China, using the 2024 elections to accuse his political opponents of “sleazing up” to Beijing.

He promised to release details of the secretive 2022 security pact if elected, although the information is yet to be made public.

Australia is also hoping to make progress on a long-stalled $190 million deal to expand and train the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force.

School students waving Australian and Solomon Islands flags greeted the two leaders and Mr Wale’s wife Veronica Ruala Waletofea as they arrived in Parliament House’s Marble Foyer on Wednesday morning.

Mr Albanese paused to take a selfie with one student named Matteo, who shared his last name, while Mr Wale looked on.

Australia has in recent times finalised treaties with Tuvalu, Nauru and Papua New Guinea, while a security pact with Fiji is in the works.

A wide range of topics were likely to be canvassed during the visit, Australian National University Pacific scholar Anouk Ride said.

“Anything substantive, we are going to have to wait a while to see,” she said.

The Solomons is the only Pacific country to sign a security deal with China, so the visit remains significant regardless of diplomatic milestones reached.

“Maybe his early visit here is sending a signal of who he wants to engage with,” Dr Ride said.

“We will have to wait to see how deep that relationship goes and if it supersedes that of other countries.”