Q: Recently, Kiribati has withdrawn from the Pacific Islands Forum. Some reports said that Kiribati’s withdrawal may have something to do with China. What is Embassy’s comments on this issue?

A: The relevant reports are completely groundless. For years, China and the Pacific Islands Forum have sound cooperative relations. I would like to stress that China does not interfere in the internal affairs of Pacific Island Countries (PICs) and hopes to see greater solidarity and closer cooperation among PICs for common development.