{"id":236135,"date":"2021-11-30T23:00:18","date_gmt":"2021-12-01T07:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chinadigitaltimes.net\/?p=236135"},"modified":"2022-05-31T14:48:30","modified_gmt":"2022-05-31T21:48:30","slug":"protests-engulf-solomon-islands-and-chinese-businesses-amid-geopolitical-rivalries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chinadigitaltimes.net\/2021\/11\/protests-engulf-solomon-islands-and-chinese-businesses-amid-geopolitical-rivalries\/","title":{"rendered":"Protests Engulf Solomon Islands and Chinese Businesses Amid Geopolitical Rivalries"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last week, the Solomon Islands erupted in protest. Rioters in the country\u2019s capital, Honiara, <\/span>torched numerous buildings in Chinatown<\/span><\/a>, ransacked a police station, and defied government lockdown orders. Despite being met with <\/span>tear gas and rubber bullets<\/span><\/a>, some even stormed the parliament, <\/span>burned down a building in the parliamentary precinct<\/span><\/a>, and attempted to depose Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, as the national opposition leader Matthew Wale <\/span>called on him to resign<\/span><\/a>. At the heart of public discontent is a <\/span>mix of grievances<\/span><\/a> including Chinese and Taiwanese competition for influence, outside powers exploiting resources at the expense of locals, poor government distribution of resources, and a history of domestic conflict. Jason Scott from Bloomberg described <\/span>China\u2019s prominent role in the unrest<\/strong><\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n

The leader of the Solomon Islands blamed \u201cother powers\u201d for anti-China riots as Australian troops were deployed to help quell the unrest.<\/span><\/p>\n

Divisions over the Pacific nation\u2019s diplomatic recognition of China over Taiwan in 2019 was \u201cthe only issue\u201d behind the conflict, Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare told Australian Broadcasting Corp. in a report published Friday. \u201cUnfortunately, it is influenced and encouraged by other powers,\u201d he said, adding: \u201cI don\u2019t want to name names, we\u2019ll leave it there — we know who they are.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The spat is centered around two main islands about 110 kilometers (70 miles) apart with a history of clashing: Guadalcanal, which holds the capital Honiara, and Malaita, the most-populous isle with a third of the nation\u2019s 650,000 people. Daniel Suidani, who leads Malaita, has been a vocal critic of the decision to cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan in favor of Beijing, which opened an embassy in Honiara last year.<\/span><\/p>\n

The \u201cvery countries that are now influencing Malaita are the countries that don\u2019t want ties with the People\u2019s Republic of China and they are discouraging Solomon Islands to enter into diplomatic relations and to comply with international law and the United Nations resolution,\u201d Sogavare added. [<\/span>Source<\/strong><\/a>]<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Weng Neili \u7fc1\u5185\u5229 Solomons Fujian Assoc: \u201c…all the shops in Chinatown have been burned & looted…The riots are more serious than in 2006, because they attacked indiscriminately this time, burning & looting schools, banks, & breweries\u201d #honiarariots<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/tT8PjV81DU<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/9BpMZ0NZiK<\/a><\/p>\n

— Professor Anne-Marie Brady (@Anne_MarieBrady) November 28, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n