At 3:00 p.m. Solomon Islands local time on April 18, enraged by the election of prime minister, hundreds of rioters in Honiara, capital of the Solomon Islands, took to the streets in the neighborhood Chinatown closest to the Parliament and torched over 20 Chinese-owned stores. Several hundreds of Chinese were impacted by the riot and most of them had to take refuge in hospitals, churches and the police office.

According to foreign presses, the main reason that the Chinese neighborhood was hit by the riot is that some Solomon Islanders are dissatisfied with the election of Snyder Rini as the new prime minister. Rini's political opponents criticized that Rini took funds from Chinese businessmen to corrupt the voters, demanded a reelection and organized demonstrations which turned into riots.

The Chinese government attaches great importance to protecting the legitimate rights and interest of overseas Chinese citizens and legal person including the Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan compatriots. Learning the event, Chinese leaders immediately instructed the Foreign Ministry to closely watch the developments and ensure the safety of local Chinese people. The Foreign Ministry has launched the emergency mechanism and taken the following measures: urging the Solomon Islands to take urgent measures to ensure the safety of Chinese citizens through related channels since China does not have diplomatic relations with Solomon Islands; asking the governments of Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea to assist Chinese citizens if necessary; instructing the Chinese Embassy in Papua New Guinea to immediately send staffs to the Solomon Islands, contact the local Chinese directly, track the latest developments, contact the Solomon Islands authorities and require them to secure the safety of Chinese citizens; asking the local office of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to provide life necessities for the local Chinese.

The Chinese Embassy in Papua New Guinea immediately took up the matter with the Solomon Islands Police Commissioner, requiring him to take measures to stop such behavior as looting and setting fire to Chinese-owned shops and secure the life and property safety of the Chinese people, contacted the High Commission of Australia to the Solomon Islands, asking it to express the concern of the Chinese side to the "Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands" (RAMSI) headed by Australia and New Zealand and take all possible steps to secure the life and property safety of the Chinese people and keeps telephone contacts with the Chinese in the Solomon Islands, expressing to them the sympathy and condolence of the Chinese government, learning their losses and mobilizing them to move to safe places.

On April 19, head of the Department of Consular Affairs of the Foreign Ministry called an urgent meeting with officials from the embassies of Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea in China, briefing them about the latest developments and asking them to offer assistance if necessary. Meanwhile, upon receiving the instruction of the Foreign Ministry, Chinese ambassador to Australia Fu Ying and to New Zealand Zhang Yuanyuan made urgent appointments with officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia and New Zealand respectively to learn the latest developments of situation in the Solomon Islands and the measures taken by the Australian and New Zealand governments and ask the two countries to urge the Solomon Islands through the RAMSI to take effective measures to protect the life and property safety of the Chinese people and provide assistance for the evacuation of the Chinese people if necessary.

On the same day, the Chinese Embassy in Papua New Guinea moved about 500 Chinese including 5 Hong Kong compatriots to the Police Headquarters of the Solomon Islands for refuge and the Red Cross provided them with life necessities. Head of the Solomon Police Headquarters told the Chinese Embassy in Papua New Guinea that the safety of those Chinese in the Headquarters would be secured. At night, the Solomon Police Headquarters and the RAMSI issued a curfew on Honiara and the situation calmed down gradually. Some Chinese people left the Police Headquarters on their own, but more than 400 remained there.

On April 20, the elected Prime Minister Snyder Rini swore in. After Australia sent 110 soldiers and 70 police officers to the Solomon Islands, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea dispatched 55 and 25 military police officers respectively to the nation by military aircraft to restore law and order. The upset of Honiara was basically under control, but the situation was still tense. At night, with coordination of the Chinese Embassy in New Zealand, the New Zealand government allowed part of the Chinese with valid identity certificates to evacuate by its military aircraft. The Chinese Embassy in Papua New Guinea first of all arranged some elderly, young and sick Chinese to leave for New Zealand by military aircraft. A number of Chinese have taken Australia's military or commercial flight to Australia. As verified by the Chinese Consulate in Brisbane and the Chinese Consulate General in Auckland, 5 Chinese citizens arrived at Australia and another 5 arrived at New Zealand by the military aircrafts of the two countries. New Zealand has issued a 3-month visit visa to the Chinese citizens arriving at Auckland and provided them with settlement. The two consulates have sent staffs to visit and assist those Chinese citizens.

On the morning of April 21, counselor Gao Feng and consul Wang Gang of the Chinese Embassy in Papua New Guinea arrived at Honiara with life necessities by the nearest flight to visit the local Chinese and provide them with onsite assistance. On the evening of April 21, another 10 Chinese will leave for Auckland by New Zealand military aircraft. The Chinese Consulate General in Auckland has prepared settlement with quilt, cloth and food.

At present, the Chinese Foreign Ministry and embassies and consulates in Papua New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand are watching the situation of the Solomon Islands closely and will adopt all measures necessary to protect the security of all the Chinese citizens in the Solomon Islands including the Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan compatriots.