When the Solomon Islands was hit with weeklong riots and anti-government protests late last November, the unrest resulted in dozens of buildings burned down and several businesses looted and destroyed — especially in the Chinatown area of the capital, Honiara.
Describing the destruction as “the largest man-made economic shock” the islands had experienced since 2006, the government requested security assistance from Australia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and Fiji, which reacted promptly by sending police and military personnel to restore order.
But neighboring countries were not the only nations to offer support. Just weeks after, in late December, the Solomon Islands accepted Beijing’s offer to equip and train its riot police force, should similar unrest erupt in the future.