Hundreds of Chinese demand repatriation from troubled Tonga

More than 300 Chinese, most children, women and old people, are to be evacuated from the Pacific island nation of Tonga after they went to the Chinese embassy and demanded repatriation as soon as possible, said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu on Wednesday.

Jiang said the situation in Tonga had eased, but some Chinese nationals were still in a difficult situation and strongly hoped to return to China.

She said the Chinese government was very concerned for the safety of Chinese nationals in Tonga, and had dispatched a chartered aircraft on Wednesday to take children, women and the elderly and ill back to China via Fiji.

Jiang said the Foreign Ministry and Chinese embassy in Tonga had taken emergency measures to settle Chinese nationals and ensure their safety.

A working group had been sent to Tonga with food and daily necessities for local Chinese, and to investigate their situation, she said.

Leaders of Tonga had visited the Chinese nationals in the embassy. The government of Tonga provided necessary assistance for the evacuation. Governments of other countries also gave active help and cooperation.

"The Chinese government is very grateful for the assistance," she said.

Riots triggered by a disputed parliamentary reform broke out in the Tongan capital Nuku'alofa last Thursday, leaving eight dead and 80 percent of the central business district destroyed.

Earlier reports said about 30 Chinese-run stores were looted or burnt.

China and Tonga established diplomatic relations in November 1998. About 500 Chinese people are estimated to be living in Nuku'alofa.

Source: Xinhua