Chinese officials will travel to the Solomon Islands to provide anti-riot equipment and training to domestic police in an effort to bolster defence against civilian protests.
In a statement on Thursday the Solomon Islands government said it is willing to receive assistance from China, which aims to "strengthen" the Solomon Islands police after unrest in the country in recent months.
"The government has agreed to accept the People’s Republic of China’s offer of riot equipment and six police liaison officers to equip and train [the] Royal Solomon Islands Police Force with the skill sets complementing ongoing training received under existing bilateral assistance," the statement said.
“This riot equipment that will be flown into the country includes shields, helmets, batons and other non-lethal gear that will further enhance Solomon Islands Police ability in confronting future threats."
It comes as residents from the against the government in November for their handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as a switch in allegiance from Taiwan to China in 2019.
Residents called on the resignation of Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare amid escalating violence, looting and arson in the Islands' capital, Honiara in November which left three people dead.
Australia responded swiftly to requests from the Sogavare government to provide assistance, offering up 73 Australian Federal Police and 43 Australian Defence Force personnel to defuse the violence on the ground.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) said in a statement to SBS News that Australia was prompt in its response to deescalate violence in Honiara on 25 November, along with other pacific partners Fiji, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.
"Since that time, Australia and Pacific family partners have successfully supported the RSIPF to maintain a stable and calm situation," a spokesperson for DFAT said.
But it stopped short of providing its views on China's involvement in assisting the Sogavare government.
"We are aware of China’s expected engagement in the security sector in Honiara. This is a matter for the Solomon Islands Government."
Around 40 Australia's defence personnel have been scheduled to return home as the operation to assist the Islands begins to wind down.
The Department of Defence said some Australian military personnel would remain to provide "command, communications, logistics and air movement" support to the joint peacekeeping effort with police.
Australia previously led a peacekeeping mission in the Solomons from 2003 to 2017, but Canberra had insisted the current deployment would only last "a matter of weeks".
