China arranges shelter for 500 citizens in Solomons
Thu 20 Apr 2006 7:00 AM ET
BEIJING, April 20 (Reuters) - China has arranged shelter for about 500 nationals in the Solomon Islands after two days of rioting there, a Chinese government spokesman said on Thursday, in a sign of Beijing's growing diplomatic clout.
Violence erupted in the South Pacific island chain on Tuesday after Snyder Rini was elected prime minister. Rioters and looters targeted Honiara's Chinese population of about 2,000, destroying businesses and shops in the capital's Chinatown district.
Rioters claimed Rini's new government would be heavily influenced by local Chinese businessmen and the Taiwan government, which the Solomons recognises diplomatically.
Despite the lack of diplomatic relations, China asked the Solomon Islands to protect its nationals, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told a news conference on Thursday.
Chinese diplomats were sent to the Solomon Islands from Papua New Guinea and arranged shelter for about 500 Chinese nationals, including five from Hong Kong, at the police headquarters compound, Qin said.
At China's request, the Red Cross has provided daily necessities to the Chinese nationals, he said, adding that China has asked Australian, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea to provide diplomatic assistance to its nationals in case of emergency.
Qin also warned Chinese tourists against visiting the Solomon Islands, where about 70 people have been arrested.
Australia says it is committed to restoring law and order in the troubled South Pacific island chain to prevent it becoming a failed state and possible haven for terrorism.
Australian troops and police patrolled the Solomon Island's blackened capital Honiara, a town of 50,000, on Thursday as Rini was secretly sworn in.
The Solomons, a chain of 992 islands covering 1.35 million sq km (520,000 sq miles) of ocean, teetered on the brink of collapse in 2003 when armed gangs fought over Honiara.
© Reuters 2006. All Rights Reserved.
|
 |
|