However, it turned violent as protesters attempted to storm the parliament to depose Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare.

Following the unrest, Prime Minister Sogavare said the "innocent people of Malaita have been lied to by these agents of Taiwan" and described the riots as an "attempted illegal coup".

[4] In 2019, the central government under Sogavare withdrew recognition of Taiwan and established relations with the People's Republic of China.

Malaita Province, however, continued to be supported by Taiwan and the United States, the latter sending US$25 million of aid to the island in 2020.

[9] The premier of Malaita Province, Daniel Suidani, also held an independence referendum in 2020 which the national government has dismissed as illegitimate.

[21] By the morning of 27 November, the rioting had largely stopped, with police officers and peacekeeping troops patrolling the streets.

[22] Police later announced the discovery of three charred bodies in a burned building in Honiara's Chinatown district[4][5] and the arrest of over 100 people in relation to the riots.

[6] Opposition leader Matthew Wale filed a no-confidence motion against the Sogavare government on 28 November, with debate scheduled for 6 December.

[33] The request was accepted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China on 24 December, resulting in batons, shields and helmets being supplied to the islands to help with quelling future riots.

[36] He also accused the protesters of being "politically motivated" and, during an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, blamed "foreign powers" for the unrest.

"[43] Australian prime minister Scott Morrison questioned whether Chinese citizens and businesses were targeted describing the unrest as a "mixed story".