A hut at the coast of Tarawa, Kiribati, March 14, 2019. File Photo: Xinhua

 
Spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in Fiji on Tuesday stressed China does not interfere in the internal affairs of Pacific Island Countries (PICs) and hopes the PICs will strengthen solidarity and cooperation to achieve common development, saying media reports which claimed Kiribati's decision to quit the Pacific Islands Forum is "due to China's influence" were groundless.

On Monday, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin had the same remarks over Kiribati's resignation. 

News outlets from Australia and New Zealand claimed it was due to "China's influence," as they want to paint China as a disturbing element of regional solidarity and common development, according to analysts.