A total of 249 Chinese were lifted out of the riot-torn Solomon Islands within 24 hours on Sunday and some have already returned to China. The mission undertaken by the Chinese embassy in Papua New Guinea is timely and successful and has demonstrated the country's capability to deal with such emergencies.

The election of Snyder Rini as prime minister by 50 lawmakers triggered protests, which developed into a riot. Chinese were the main target of rioters and most of their shops were damaged or destroyed.

President Hu Jintao, on a state visit to Saudi Arabia, called on the Foreign Ministry and Chinese embassies and consulates in Papua New Guinea and other countries to take action to protect the security of overseas Chinese there.

It is not the first time Chinese embassies or consulates have had to deal with such an incident. The Chinese embassy in Iraq successfully arranged the evacuation of Chinese from the country in early 2003 before the Iraq War broke out, and in June that year the Chinese embassy in Cote d'Ivoire helped withdraw Chinese from Liberia where civil war had erupted.

With the country's opening up to the outside world and economic growth, more and more Chinese are going overseas to study, work or do business. As a matter of fact, incidents such as kidnapping, traffic accidents, natural disasters or some other emergencies involving Chinese citizens or overseas Chinese have been on the increase.

It has become an important mission of Chinese embassies or consulates to protect the rights and interests of Chinese citizens on foreign land.

East and west, home is best. Those Chinese living or staying on foreign land for whatever purpose would be extremely homesick and in urgent need of help from their home diplomatic missions when stranded in difficulties or encountering disaster.

It is under such conditions that timely aid from home embassies or consulates often props up the national pride and dignity of those who have been assisted.

And behind these missions are a nation's sense of responsibility and capability to safeguard the rights and interests of its citizens.

What the Chinese diplomatic missions have done in assisting Chinese citizens or overseas Chinese in foreign countries suggests that the emergency response mechanism in embassies or consulates is maturing.

A special department was set up under the Foreign Ministry in 2004 to deal with security issues involving Chinese citizens overseas, and at the same time the general office of the ministry established an emergency response office to handle emergencies concerning Chinese citizens in foreign countries.

With concerted efforts from these departments we have reason to believe that the country's diplomatic missions will do an even better job in protecting the safety of Chinese citizens in foreign countries.

(China Daily April 25, 2006)

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