He said that economic and other cooperation since the establishment of diplomatic relations has benefited both sides. "We believe that under the leadership of Prime Minister Sogavare, the Solomon Islands government can restore social order and stability as soon as possible," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Thursday. He described the unrest as "a bit of a mixed story" and noted Chinatown was the scene of rioting before Australia's 2003 intervention.Ĭhina, meanwhile, expressed serious concern about recent attacks on some Chinese citizens and institutions, without providing details. Morrison questioned whether Chinese citizens and businesses were being targeted. Sogavare requested assistance from Australia under a bilateral security treaty that has existed since 2017, when Australian peacekeepers last left the Solomon Islands.Īustralia led an international police and military force called the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands that restored peace in the country after bloody ethnic violence from 2003 until 2017. "That is our region and we're standing up to secure our region with our partners, our friends, our family and allies," he added. as family because they trust us and we've worked hard for that trust in the Pacific," Morrison said. "The Solomon Islands reached out to us first. Some observers argue Australia intervened quickly to avoid Chinese security forces moving in to restore order.īut Morrison said Sogavare had asked for help because he trusted Australia. "So I think that there's nothing much left for them to loot and spoil now," she added.Īustralian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Thursday committed troops, police and diplomats to help local police restore order and protect critical infrastructure.Īustralia would not assist in the protection of the National Parliament and the executive buildings, in a sign that Australia was not taking political sides. "It's been two days, two whole days of looting and protesting and rioting and Honiara is just a small city," Kekea said of the home to 85,000 people. Protesters had been replaced by looters and scavengers on Friday in Chinatown, Kekea said. seem to have most of the work, especially when it comes to extracting resources, which people feel strongly about," Kekea said. "Chinese businesses and (other) Asian businesses. There were also complaints that foreign companies were not providing local jobs. Local journalist Gina Kekea said the foreign policy switch to Beijing with little public consultation was one of a mix of issues that led to the protests. We would very much hope for a return to stability," she added. Our view is we don't want to see violence. "We have not indicated that at all," Payne said.
We are intact, the government's intact and we're going to defend democracy," he added.Īustralian Foreign Minister Marise Payne did not agree that other countries had stirred up the unrest. Sogavare said he stood by his government's decision to embrace Beijing, which he described as the "only issue" in the violence, which was "unfortunately influenced and encouraged by other powers."Įxternal pressures were a "very big. Malaita leaders complain their island has been unfairly deprived of government investment since the change.Ī plane carrying Australian police and diplomats arrived late Thursday in Honiara, where they will help local police efforts to restore order, Australia's Defense Minister Peter Dutton said. Sogavare angered many in 2019, particularly leaders of the Solomon Islands' most populous province, Malaita, when he cut the country's diplomatic ties with Taiwan.
The National Parliament building, a police station and businesses have been set alight during two tumultuous days in which police failed to control the mob. Honiara's Chinatown and its downtown precinct have been focuses of rioters, looters and protesters who have demanded Sogavare, who has intermittently been prime minister since 2000, to resign. Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare on Friday blamed foreign interference over his government's decision to switch alliances from Taiwan to Beijing for anti-government protests, arson and looting that have ravaged the capital Honiara in recent days.īut critics also blamed the unrest on complaints of a lack of government services and accountability, corruption and Chinese businesses giving jobs to foreigners instead of locals.