Pacific

China demands that Solomon Islands protects ethnic Chinese

10:36 am on 21 April 2006

Beijing has demanded that Solomon Islands protect ethnic Chinese after they were apparently targeted in two days of riots.

A foreign ministry spokesman says the Solomon Islands government must take effective measures immediately to protect the property and personal safety of Chinese there.

Riots in the Solomon capital of Honiara saw dozens of Chinese businesses burned and looted.

Some reports indicated they were mostly Taiwanese-owned.

China does not have diplomatic relations with the Solomons, an ally of Taiwan.