 The Tongan government decided not to renew the work permits of over 600 Chinese 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".