Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale was elected on Friday by lawmakers after his predecessor was ousted in a no confidence vote.

Changes of leader in the strategically located archipelago, 1,600 kilometres (990 miles) northeast of Australia, are closely watched by Western diplomats.

China and US-ally Australia are the largest donors and security partners to the Solomons, competing for influence.

Wale appointed former prime minister Rick Hou as foreign minister, and Peter Kenilorea as the minister for National Planning and Development Coordination, dealing closely with donor countries.

Kenilorea is a member of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, a global group of lawmakers critical of Beijing.

"China might find him a bit awkward," James Batley, a former Australian High Commissioner to the Solomon Islands, told AFP.

"He will place a priority on transparency."

Batley said the cabinet appointments "send a signal", but added, "it is most unlikely that Solomons is going to reverse its decision on relations with China".

Hou was prime minister from 2017 to 2019, just before the Solomons switched ties from Taiwan to China in 2019, a move he criticised.

A former reserve bank governor, Hou "is experienced in international relations and won't be intimidated," Batley said.

Envoys from China and Australia met with Wale on Saturday.

Wale told China's ambassador Cai Weiming the Solomons was committed to the One China principle and intended to work closely with China to deliver tangible benefits for people, a Solomon Islands government statement said Monday.

In a meeting with Australia's High Commissioner Jeff Roach, Wale "encouraged Australia to think big and think long-term to further grow and nurture the partnership", the prime minister's office said.

Australia had been the largest donor and development partner of choice over several decades, it added.

- Dolphin export ban -

Wale also announced the restoration of a ban on the export of live dolphins, a move welcomed by environmental groups.

The previous government had repealed a decades-old ban on the trade on Thursday, the day prime minister Jeremiah Manele was ousted.

Honiara-based environmental campaigner Lawrence Makili told AFP he welcomed the quick action to stop dolphin trafficking.

"It is the right decision not only to save dolphins but protecting the tuna industry," he said.

A company had applied to capture and export 50 dolphins, which environment groups warned would risk the international reputation of the Solomons tuna industry, one of its largest revenue earners.

Although dolphin hunters in Malaita have traditionally killed the sea creatures for their teeth, the capture and export of dolphins to aquariums in China has more recently drawn scrutiny.