storekeepers, and admitted the decision was in response to “widespread anger at the growing presence of the storekeepers." In 2006, rioters caused severe damage to shops owned by Chinese-Tongans in Nukualofa. These events have had no noticeable negative impact on Sino-Tongan relations; in response to continued Chinese development assistance in 2011, Tongan Deputy Prime Minister Samiu Vaipulu spoke of the "warm relations between [our] two countries." Current relations Tonga has consistently recognised the People's Republic of China since 1998. In 2001, Tonga and the PRC announced their decision to strengthen their "military relations". In 2008, the PRC provided Tonga with military supplies worth over €340,000. In the wake of riots in Nuku'alofa in 2006, China's Export-Import Bank gave Tonga a $118m loan at an interest rate of only 2% with payments now deferred until 2018. Much of it was used for construction, and paid to Chinese construction companies. In April 2008, Tongan King George Tupou V visited China, reaffirmed his country's adherence to the "One China" policy, and, according to the Chinese State news agency Xinhua, "supported the measures adopted to handle the incident in Lhasa". King Tupou V also met Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie to "enhance exchange and cooperation between the two militaries". Xinhua stated that China and Tonga have "fruitful cooperation in politics, economy, trade, agriculture, and education, and kept a sound coordination in regional and international affairs". In June 2009, Radio Australia reported that it had "obtained a document" sent from the Chinese embassy in Tonga to the Tongan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The embassy expressed concern about two Falun Gong members who were visiting Tonga to express their beliefs to Tongans. The Chinese authorities described them as "anti-China", and asked Tonga to take "immediate and appropriate actions" regarding a situation which might harm Sino-Tongan friendly relations. In another document that Radio Australia said it had obtained, Tonga's Secretary for Foreign Affairs instructed police and defence officials to help preserve "Tonga's good relations with China". Radio Australia reported that the two women had allegedly been questioned by Tongan immigration officials as a result of the Chinese embassy's request. In 2013, China gave a 60-seat Xian MA-60 airplane to Tonga's airline Real Tonga. This caused some tension between Tonga and New Zealand, because tourism dropped after the New Zealand airline Air Chathams pulled out of Tonga in order not to face subsidized competition and the New Zealand