In the region of 310 overseas Chinese, including 21 from Hong
Kong, arrived in Guangzhou from the Solomon Islands on a chartered
flight on Tuesday morning. This is the largest such evacuation in
almost 20 years.
During the recent unrest in Honiara, capital of the Solomon
Islands, dozens of homes and shops in the city's Chinatown were
looted and set on fire. Hundreds of local Chinese residents were
forced to flee.?
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 to 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 April 25, 2006)
