Rini was elected to the nations top post in a closed session of parliament on 18 April. His election drew angry reactions from the islanders who took to the streets to protest that his new administration was a Chinese government. The violence prompted Australia, New Zealand and Fiji to send hundreds of troops and police to help restore order in the capital of Honaria. The protesters alleged that Rini had links to corruption-tainted politicians and funded his election campaign with money from Taiwan or China.

Solomon Islands is one of just 25 countries worldwide that gives diplomatic recognition to Taiwan, which split from mainland China in 1949. Taiwan allegedly uses promises of aid to bolster support and prevent its allies from switching their diplomatic allegiance to China, which in turn demands that its diplomatic partners give no formal recognition to Taiwan.

The islands lawmakers will vote in secret ballot for Rinis replacement, as opposition leaders have chosen former Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare as their most likely candidate. Sogavare would consider severing ties with Taiwan, saying it was time for the Solomonians to join the majority of the world in giving diplomatic allegiance to Beijing.

FYI

The Solomons, once a British protectorate known as "The Happy Isles," is a chain of scattered islands stretching across 600,000 sq km (232,000 sq miles) of ocean in the southwest Pacific, but has only 29,785 sq km (11,500 sq miles) of land. Its population of an estimated 500,000 people are mostly Melanesian. Ninety-five percent of its people are Christian. English is the official language, but there are 63 different native languages.

Source: PacNewsService. FACTBOX-Solomon Islands, a troubled tropical paradise posted on Wed 19 Apr 2006 7:51 AM ET at <http://www.pacificislands.cc/pina/pinadefault2.php?urlpinaid=21495>

Solomon Islands governments are characterized by weak political parties and highly unstable parliamentary coalitions. They are subject to frequent votes of no confidence, and government leadership changes frequently as a result. Cabinet changes are common.

The political stage of the Solomon Islands is further influenced by its diplomatic importance to _China (PRC) <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China>_ and _Taiwan (ROC) <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_Taiwan>_. The Solomon Islands gives _diplomatic recognition <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diplomatic_recognition>_ to the ROC, recognizing it as the sole-legitimate Government of all of China, giving Taiwan vital votes in the _United Nations <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations>_. Lucrative investments, political funding and preferential loans from both China and Taiwan are increasingly manipulating the political landscape of the Solomon Islands.

Source: Wikipedia. Politics of the Solomon Islands as posted at <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solomon_islands#History>