Taiwan denies it, but a deeply held perception that it 'bought' the Solomon Islands' election lies behind the rioting which razed Honiara's historic Chinatown.
'It's common knowledge here that the election of the prime minister was not a fair and free one,' said Joses Tuhanuku, an MP who lost his seat in the polls. 'It's been corrupted by Taiwan and business houses owned by Solomon Islanders of Chinese origin.'
The rioting mobs were incensed by the appointment of a new prime minister they regard as being in the pocket of the Taiwanese. They accuse Snyder Rini and his predecessor, Sir Allan Kemakeza, of accepting millions of dollars in kickbacks in return for their diplomatic recognition of Taiwan rather than Beijing.
Beijing, too, has come in for its share of the blame.
'They [Beijing and Taipei] compete to buy off politicians in these countries,' said Clive Moore, who teaches Pacific history at Queensland University in Australia.
'Taiwanese officials are known to have briefcases full of dollars which they dish out to government leaders. Everybody knows that Kemakeza's election slush fund came from the Taiwan government.'