Chinese Ambassador Tang Songgen walks on the backs of Kiribati men in a traditional welcoming ceremony. Photo: Facebook

The misrepresentation of a photo of the Chinese ambassador to Kiribati walking across the backs of locals in a traditional welcoming ceremony was refuted by local officials, and criticized by experts as a move intended to damage China's image in the island.

The image drew criticism from some Western politicians and Twitter users who said it was emblematic of China's rising power in Pacific countries. Some even said it showed China was an "imperialist state intent on colonizing the world."

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian clarified the truth at the regular press meeting on Thursday that the Chinese ambassador finally agreed to attend the welcome ceremony with local folk-custom characteristics at the kind invitation of the local government and residents as well as out of respect for local culture. 

The ceremony was launched by the local city council, association and church. The scene in the photo shows the grandest traditional welcome ceremony of the island country, which is a way handed down by the ancestors to show hospitality toward honored guests, Zhao cited local officials as saying. 

Then Australian High Commissioner to Kiribati received the welcoming ceremony in same manner during the visit to the island in 1998.

Kiribati is angry that some Australians deliberately smear China given they understand the nature of such unique custom, said Zhao.

Any malicious attempt to smear China's policy toward island countries or undermine China's relations with these island countries will never succeed, Zhao stressed.

US Defense Attaché in the Pacific Islands Constantine Panayiotou and Australian MP Dave Sharma were among those who said they were surprised by the picture, which showed the ambassador walking across the backs of about 30 men lying on the ground. 

But these narratives were refuted both by local people and by Kiribati's Minister for Environment Ruateki Tekaiara, who was present for the visit of Chinese Ambassador Tang Songgen.

Tekaiara, who is also a local MP for Marakei Island, said the ritual was a way to show the highest respect for a visitor. "This is the culture of the island … no-one can oppose this when the elders decide," he said, noting that elders from the island had gathered to organize the welcome, ABC news reported.

The Chinese embassy in Kiribati posted a statement on Facebook on Monday saying that Ambassador Tang was due to visit Tabiteuea North, Tabiteuea South and Marakei following an invitation from the island councils and MPs earlier this month.

Photo: Screenshot of Twitter

Photo: Screenshot of Twitter

 

Photo: Screenshot of Twitter

 

The Embassy team for "educational visits" was "warmly welcomed and received in the islands by the elders, the island councils as well as the local people," stressing that the team was "greeted with traditional courtesies" and "was overwhelmed by the unique culture and hospitality," said the statement.

It is a way for locals to show the highest respect for a visitor or a diplomat, a local Kiribati resident named Jordan told the Global Times on Wednesday.

"We normally welcome VIPs from other countries in this way and we have done this for a long time," she said. "You can see this pattern in some local weddings as the family of the groom may lie down and ask the bride to walk on their backs to show their hospitality and welcome to the bride to become part of the family."

Jordan suggested outsiders should not project their own values onto the island culture, and she felt sad about the misrepresentation that "portrays locals as victims." 

"It's a local custom in the area. If he had refused, the ambassador would have insulted the locals. Accepting means ending up with pictures like this," said El Zorro, a Twitter user, adding that "[I am] not a fan of China at all, but I wouldn't know what the best approach would be in this situation."

The Chinese Ambassador is not the only one to accept such a traditional welcome. Pictures posted online showed that the princess of Tonga was also welcomed in this way on a previous visit.  

The move of stepping on other people's backs is also a typical element in traditional Samoan dance. 

Portraying the welcome ceremony as being symbolic of "subjugation" reflects some Western politicians' grievances and concerns over the growing friendship between China and Kiribati, especially after Kiribati resumed diplomatic relations with China on September 28, 2019, observers said.

The previous break in bilateral ties between China and Kiribati was the result of the combined intervention of the US, Australia and other Western countries in Kiribati's internal elections, Yu Lei, a chief research fellow at the Research Center for Pacific Island Countries at Liaocheng University, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

Australia has long regarded the South Pacific islands as their "backyard," and a warm welcome to the Chinese Ambassador is clearly not something they wish for, because the island countries are seldom so friendly toward former colonial masters from the West, Yu suggested.