Pacific Beat. Topic: Unrest, Conflict and War. China's diplomatic note was sent to the government of Solomon Islands on December 3, a week after rioters targeted several Chinese-owned businesses. Leaked documents reveal the Chinese embassy in Solomon Islands made a failed bid to import a sniper rifle, two machine guns and dozens of pistols and rifles into Honiara last year after violent riots roiled the city.
The embassy also requested permission to fly in a man security detail into the capital to protect Chinese diplomats and their large diplomatic compound, leaked documents reveal. That diplomatic note was sent to the government of Solomon Islands on December 3, only a week after rioters targeted several Chinese-owned businesses in widespread protests against Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare.
The riots were partly fuelled by public resentment among Solomon Islanders opposed to Mr Sogavare's decision to switch diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China in , although they were also driven by broader ethnic tensions and economic frustration. According to the leaked document, the Chinese embassy made the bid because it feared it would be targeted in future protests.
That document also said the security team would hold diplomatic passports and hold "official status" as "diplomatic attaches". It added that the security detail would "enhance the safety and security of the Chinese embassy" and be "responsible for internal security and necessary escort missions outside the embassy". Finally, the embassy also pressed the government of Solomon Islands for a quick response, and said that — given the "current security situation in Solomon Islands" as well as the "pressing security concerns of the Chinese embassy" — it would be "highly appreciated if the government of Solomon Islands could facilitate to grant permission".
The note said the team would bring in "light weapons" but the attached list of items proposed for import included much heavier weaponry: two machine guns, a sniper rifle, 10 rifles, 10 pistols and thousands of bullets. An internal memo from the Solomon Islands Foreign Affairs Ministry, which was also leaked, appeared to indicate that the Solomon Islands' government was initially open to the request.
