Solomon Islands PM survives no-confidence motion

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare survived a no-confidence vote on Monday, as lawmakers overwhelmingly voted to keep him in power, reported BBC. 

It comes just more than a week after riots rocked the Pacific Island nation for three consecutive days.

Riots were fuelled by discontent over Sogavare's decision to switch relations from Taiwan to China in 2019.

Opposition leader Matthew Wale filed the motion "in recognition of the anger on longstanding political issues".

In a parliament session on Monday, Wale accused Sogavare of taking money from China in an attempt to bolster his political standing, and said he was "in the service of a foreign power."

But Sogavare said he switched diplomatic ties because China was an economic powerhouse, according to a Reuters report.

In the two-hour parliamentary address, Sogavare said the call for him to resign was "made against the backdrop of an illegal attempted coup".

At one point, he reportedly rose to his feet and slammed his chair while screaming at Wale.

The no-confidence motion eventually failed, with 15 MPs voting in support, 32 against, and two abstaining.