UPDATE 1-Solomon Islands election count underway, China critic Suidani regains seat

(Updates with Malaita governor loses seat in paragraph 6)

Daniel Suidani, a prominent Solomon Islands critic of China who was former Malaita province premier, has been reelected to the provincial assembly, local media reported on Friday, as counting continues in the key Pacific island nation's election.

The national election is the first since Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare struck a security pact with China in 2022 and drew the Pacific Islands nation closer to Beijing, in moves that concerned the U.S. and Australia because of the potential impact on regional security.

Results in national and provincial elections held in the Solomon Islands on Wednesday are being announced over several days, closely watched by China, the U.S. and Australia.

Suidani, whose new political party U4C also ran candidates in the national election, was reelected to the Malaita provincial assembly, national broadcaster SIBC reported on Friday morning.

As premier he had banned Chinese companies from Malaita, the Solomon Islands' most populous province, and accepted U.S. development aid before being ousted last year in a no confidence vote by lawmakers for his refusal to recognise China.

China sent its top envoy for the South Pacific to Malaita province this month to sign a memorandum of understanding with the new premier, Martin Fini. Fini lost his seat in the provincial assembly, electoral officials said on Friday, which means he would no longer be eligible to be premier.

Suidani, a former school teacher, had challenged his disqualification in the High Court, although the case was yet to proceed at the time of the election.

There is a heavy police presence outside counting centres providing security, elections chief Jasper Highwood Anisi said.

Police and defence forces from Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Fiji are assisting with election security.

The 50 members of the national parliament are elected for a four-year term, and the seat results, which are expected to be known by Monday, will indicate if any party has achieved a majority, or if negotiations to form a coalition are needed before a prime minister is selected.