The first group of 13 overseas Chinese people have flown back to Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province, from the Solomon Islands to escape the riots which erupted.

The group, mainly women and children, were warmly received by relatives, officials and the provincial office of overseas Chinese affairs at the Baiyun International Airport, Guangzhou.

"We will do our best to take care of them and help them to overcome the difficulties," said Lu Weixiong, head of the office.

Another two Chinese citizens, Xu Yingjun and Wang Chunwei, arrived in Shanghai's Pudong International Airport at around 7:30 PM on Sunday. The two men went to Sydney after the unrest started and flew to Shanghai with the help of the Chinese embassy there.

Xu and Wang, both natives of Suzhou, a city in eastern Jiangsu Province, were back home with their families, friends and colleagues Sunday evening.

China on Monday sent a chartered plane to Papua New Guinea to take home the Chinese nationals and people of Chinese origin from the riots which erupted in the Solomon Islands.

During the recent unrest in the capital Honiara many houses and shops in the city's Chinatown were looted and set ablaze. Hundreds of Chinese residents were forced to flee their homes.

"The situation is really bad and we are so grateful that the government has helped us to back," said Tian Huiying, one of the group of 13 Chinese.

Hu Yuebin was relieved to see his 27-year-old daughter Hu Meili and six-year-old granddaughter appear at the Baiyun Airport.

The 50-year-old man, from Taishan, a city more than 200 kilometers from Guangzhou, held his granddaughter tightly in his arms.

Hu's daughter and son-in-law went to Honiara in 2000 but the couple lost everything  they had after their supermarket was looted in the riot.

"Nothing is more important than the fact they are alive and I just want to say 'thanks' to the government," said Hu.

Another 300 to 350 Chinese were expected to arrive in Guangzhou from the Solomon Islands on Monday by charter flight.

Chinese President Hu Jintao on Sunday instructed the Foreign Ministry as well as Chinese embassies and consulates to Papua New Guinea and other countries to take measures to ensure the safety of Chinese citizens in Solomon Islands and help them get over their current hardships. 

Hu, who is now in Saudi Arabia for a state visit, also expressed his deep concern for the affected Chinese community.

Chinese Premier, Wen Jiabao, has also instructed the Foreign Ministry and other relevant departments to closely follow developments and take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of Chinese citizens. 

"We will give support to any Chinese people on the islands who want to come back and help them live here in Guangdong," said Wang Baorong, chairman of Guangdong Province's Returned Overseas Chinese Association.

"We have thought about ways to help these people as some of them lost their properties and identity papers. We're also considering their children's education," said Wang.

The Chinese government has closely followed the situation in the Solomon Islands and has promised to take every measure to ensure the safety of its people there including compatriots from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.

Since China and the Solomon Islands do not have diplomatic relations the Chinese Foreign Ministry made urgent contact with the governments of Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, asking them to provide assistance if required.

The ministry has also ordered the Chinese Embassy in Papua New Guinea to immediately dispatch diplomats to the Solomon Islands to contact and assist Chinese people.

In addition the ministry has asked the Red Cross and Red Crescent on the islands to provide Chinese residents with living necessities.

Violent protests erupted in Honiara, capital of the Solomon Islands, on Tuesday night after Snyder Rini was elected prime minister.

Reports said dozens of Chinese-owned shops in the Chinatown in Honiara were looted. There were injuries but no fatalities within the Chinese community during two days of looting.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry issued travel advice on its website on Sunday saying that since the unrest started on April 18 the situation remained tense and there was the possibility of further riots.

(Xinhua News Agency April 24, 2006)