During the recent unrest in the Solomon Islands' capital Honiara, dozens of residences and shops in the city's Chinatown were looted and set on fire. Hundreds of local Chinese residents were forced to flee their homes.

Violence erupted in the South Pacific island chain on Tuesday reportedly after Snyder Rini was elected prime minister.

Qin said the Chinese government is extremely concerned about the situation of the Solomon Islands.

The Chinese government has already asked the Solomon Islands to act immediately to protect the lives and property of Chinese people in the islands, Qin said.

He expressed heart-felt condolences to the Chinese people affected by the unrest.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has ordered the Foreign Ministry to closely follow developments and to do everything it can to secure the safety of Chinese people in the Solomon Islands, Qin said.

The Foreign Ministry has activated its emergency plans.

According to Qin, the Foreign Ministry has urged the government of the Solomon Islands to immediately stop the looting and arson directed at Chinese people and to guarantee their safety and protect their property.

Since China and the Solomon Islands do not have diplomatic relations, the Chinese Foreign Ministry has conveyed its requests through other channels.

Qin said the Foreign Ministry has made urgent contact with the governments of Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, askingthem to provide assistance to Chinese citizens if required.

The Foreign Ministry has ordered the Chinese Embassy in Papua New Guinea to immediately dispatch diplomats to the Solomon Islands to contact local Chinese people, Qin said.

The Chinese diplomats will study and follow the development of local situation. They will also contact the regime there to seek guarantees of safety for Chinese citizens.

Qin said the Foreign Ministry has asked the Red Cross and Red Crescent branches on the islands to provide living necessities to local Chinese.

According to the Foreign Ministry, the Chinese Embassy in Papua New Guinea has already helped relocate some 500 Chinese people, including five compatriots from Hong Kong, to the police headquarters in the Solomon Islands.

The Red Cross has provided them with food, water and clothing. Embassy personnel said a Solomon Islands official has pledged thatthe Chinese people taking refugee in the police headquarters will be protected.

Qin said the Foreign Ministry and the Chinese Embassy in Papua New Guinea will closely follow developments on the Solomon Islands.

Meanwhile, Qin warned Chinese citizens to refrain from traveling to the Solomon Islands until calm is restored.

According to Radio New Zealand, a tense calm has settled Thursday over the Solomon Islands after 180 Australian soldiers and police arrived in the capital Honiara to quell violent protests.

A curfew was called across the city on Wednesday and police were given the power to arrest people on suspicion of inciting violence and hold them without charge for up to a week. Enditem