Beijing’s embassy warns citizens in Solomons to stay alert after another Chinese shop looted

Name: Solomon Islands riot sets Chinatown ablaze in capital Honiara as protests turn violent
Uploaded: 2022-02-14T10:56:29.000Z
Duration: 1 min 57 s
Description: Solomon Islands riot sets Chinatown ablaze in capital Honiara as protests turn violent

Chinatown store ransacked and worker injured, months after anti-government riots damaged Chinese businesses and left hundreds homeless

Chinese embassy appeals to local police to investigate and protect overseas Chinese and their businesses

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In November, riots and looting in Chinatown in the Solomon Islands capital Honiara left hundreds of Chinese homeless. On Saturday, months after the original spate of violence, dozens of people damaged a Chinese shop. Four people have been arrested. Photo: AP

Amber Wang

Published: 6:56pm, 14 Feb 2022Updated: 7:55pm, 14 Feb 2022

The Chinese embassy in the Solomon Islands warned its citizens in the country to stay alert on Monday, two days after a Chinese store was looted.

The incident in the capital Honiara on Saturday came almost three months after some Chinese shops were ransacked in anti-government riots and hundreds of Chinese citizens were left homeless.

The embassy said a store in Chinatown was seriously damaged and a Chinese employee suffered minor injuries on Saturday.

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Solomon Islands riot sets Chinatown ablaze in capital Honiara as protests turn violent

The Royal Solomon Islands Police Force said about 20-30 people ransacked the shop, four suspects were arrested and more than SBD$26,000 (US$3,200) was recovered.

On Monday, the Chinese embassy said it had “immediately activated the consular protection emergency mechanism” after the incident and lodged representations with local police to investigate and take effective measures to protect the safety and legitimate rights and interests of overseas Chinese.

Beijing’s embassy said Chinese citizens and Chinese-funded institutions on the islands should become more aware of security precautions and take measures to stay safe.

The unrest in the Solomons, with a population of 680,000, started on November 24 after Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare was accused of using Chinese money in a national development fund to sway the votes of members of parliament. Sogavare has rejected allegations of corruption.