Approximately 310 Chinese who were evacuated from riot-torn Solomon Islands arrived in Guangzhou early this morning from Papua New Guinea.
The 310 people, including 21 from Hong Kong, landed at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport on a chartered Boeing 777.
On Saturday, China started airlifting Chinese from Honiara, Solomon Islands' capital, which witnessed days of riots sparked by the controversial election of Prime Minister Synder Rini last week.
The Chinese were the main targets and victims of the riots. The Chinatown was almost leveled following looting and arson, leaving many homeless and ruined after their businesses were lost.
The evacuees arrived at Port Moresby, capital of Papua New Guinea, on board four chartered planes.
The Chinese government arranged four chartered flights in the past 48 hours evacuating 312 overseas Chinese from the riot-torn South Pacific state to Papua New Guinea (PNG).
Zhao Yanbo, political counselor of Chinese Embassy in PNG, said there'd been around 300 Chinese stranded on the islands and they'd been flown out based on their own willingness top leave.
Twenty-two residents with Hong Kong identity cards along with their families—41 people in total--have been evacuated from the Islands, said Lee Siu-Kwong, secretary for Security of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. They are all safe and being cared for at the Chinese Embassy.
The government attaches great importance to the security and rights of the overseas Chinese. President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao have instructed the Foreign Ministry and relative departments to take all measures to ensure the safety of the Chinese people who've made their homes in Solomon Islands.
Since China and the Solomon Islands don't have diplomatic relations the Chinese foreign ministry made urgent contact with the governments of Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, requesting assistance for Chinese citizens where necessary.
Two diplomats from the Chinese Embassy in PNG distributed medicines to the Chinese community. The Red Cross and Red Crescent branches on the islands provided necessities at the request of the Chinese government. Australia and New Zealand helped evacuate people.
With help from the Chinese Embassy in PNG and their government the Chinese evacuees were taken through Customs and were housed in four hotels in PNG capital of Port Moresby.
The 15 overseas Chinese, who arrived in Guangzhou of South China's Guangdong Province and Shanghai Municipality on Sunday, were warmly welcomed by relatives and officials. The local governments will help them with their problems such as losing their identity papers and ensuring children continue to be educated.
A coup d'etat took place in the Solomon Islands in June , 2000 and the Chinese government withdrew 116 overseas Chinese at that time.
(Xinhua News Agency, China Daily, April 25, 2006)
