21 May 2014

Concerns Chinese businesses targeted in Honiara riots

7:44 pm on 21 May 2014

The Solomon Islands Chinese Association says it is concerned that Chinese-owned businesses continue to be targets when unrest occurs in Honiara.

The association's chair, Matthew Quan says four businesses owned by Chinese people were looted and burned down during the riots over the weekend.

Mr Quan says he does not think Chinese people were being targeted because of their race, but because they own the majority of businesses there.

"We tend to find ourselves in the path of angry mobs any time these things happen. And yeah, we are concerned we are targeted as such, because it's the Chinese who own most of the business in Honiara. They're probably considering them to be easy targets in that way, the people who don't have their properties secured through local security firms."

Matthew Quan says the way Solomons police reacted to the riots has given members of the Chinese community confidence to continue to run their businesses.

Mr Quan says those businesses affected intend to claim insurance and be up and running again soon.