Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun

The Palauan side has repeatedly hyped China's missile test in an attempt to hijack the positions of other Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) members, a move that has malicious intentions and will not succeed, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said Thursday.

Guo made the comments at Thursday's routine press conference in response to remarks by the Palauan president, the current chair of the PIF, who reportedly claimed that he hoped to gain consensus from forum member nations to "condemn" China's missile test in the region.

China has repeatedly made clear its position on the missile test, and China is committed to the path of peaceful development, firmly pursues a national defense policy that is defensive in nature and never engages in military expansion, Guo said. 

"We are ready to work with South Pacific countries to contribute to peace, stability, development and prosperity in the region," the spokesperson added.

The 55th PIF Leaders Meeting being held in Palau from August 30 to September 4, comes amid hypes from Palau's President Surangel Whipps Jr. over China's missile test in July. 

Following the test, Whipps described it in an interview with RNZ Pacific as "opaque or secretive." His rhetoric later escalated. In August, he called for a so-called "united front" among Pacific island countries against China, and claimed the test was intended to signal that China could "take out" any of their islands.

Chinese Foreign Ministry has previously stated its position on the test launch. During a press conference on August 18, spokesperson Lin Jian said that the allegations from the Palau side are groundless, ill-intentioned and not worth further commentary, when responding to media inquiry that Whipps claimed he was hoping to achieve a "united front" of Pacific Island countries against China's test-firing. 

Global Times