Beijing, 24 December 2021 (TDI): China will provide police equipment and send a police advisory team to the Solomon Islands. The decision was shared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China.
According to the Chinese Spokesperson Zhao Lijian, the capital city of Solomon Islands, Honiara witnessed grave anti-government riots in November, and China firmly supports the government of the Islands to defend the stability of the country.
China and the Island country will firmly protect their relations as well as the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens residing in the country. Moreover, China strongly condemns any and every illegal as well as violent action.
China will provide a batch of emergency riot equipment for the police and send an ad-hoc police advisory team at the request of the government of Solomon Islands. The Chinese supplies and personnel that will arrive in the Islands are expected to play a constructive role in enhancing the ability of the Police of the country.
Solomon Islands
The Solomon Islands is an archipelagic sovereign country in the South Pacific, Oceania. It consists of six major islands and around 900 smaller islands in Oceania, to the east of Papua New Guinea (PNG). Guadalcanal is the largest island of the archipelago and is home to the nation’s capital, Honiara.
Background of Unrest
The unrest in the country began with a series of protests and violent riots in the Solomon Islands, which began on November 24 in the center of Honiara. Soon it engulfed Chinatown as well as the Chinese community in the city.
Many Chinese stores and merchants suffered intense economic losses. Hundreds of Chinese nationals became homeless because of the brutal riots in the city. Reportedly, many protesters belonged to the country’s most populated island, Malaita.
There had been pre-existing dissatisfaction between Malaita and the Solomon Islands due to the unequal allocation of resources, so much so that some Malaita politicians were against the government.
However, the situation became more precarious ever since the establishment of diplomatic ties between the Solomon Islands and China after the former terminated ties with Taiwan in September 2019. Furthermore, external intervention and increased external economic assistance to Malaita have exacerbated the turmoil in the Island country.
