Australia has dispatched military and police forces to help restore order in Solomon Islands amid ongoing riots.
A plane carrying the Australian deployment arrived late Thursday in the capital Honiara. Local media report the troops and police took to the streets the following day.
The riots stem from protests calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare that erupted in the capital on Wednesday. Many of the demonstrators come from the most populous island of Malaita, where residents have long complained of government neglect.
One of their grievances is the government's decision to sever ties with Taiwan in favor of China in 2019. Some rioters have targeted Chinese-owned businesses in Honiara.
Prime Minister Sogavare blamed foreign agitators for the riots on Friday. He told Australian public broadcaster ABC that "these very countries that are now influencing Malaita are the countries that don't want ties with the People's Republic of China." He did not specify which countries he was referring to.
Australian troops arrive in Solomon Islands | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News