SUVA, June 11 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Ambassador to Fiji Qian Bo Monday lashed out at the Australian media for their recent distorted reports on a Chinese space or satellite tracking vessel.
The ambassador said that the Australian media reports that China had a spy ship docked at the weekend next to the Australian Navy vessel HMAS Adelaide in the Suva Port of the Fijian capital in recent days are nonsense.
Describing the Australian reports as being totally based on speculation and not on fact, Qian told Fijian media in the Chinese embassy on Monday that the Chinese vessel, Yuanwang 7, which has already got Fijian government's approval for the port visit, is in Suva for normal supplies.
The ambassador made it clear that the appearance of the two countries' vessels in the Suva port at the same time is all coincidental.
While stressing that Australia should take China's development as a positive factor instead of looking at China through tinted glasses, he said that the Australian side needs to address its perception on China's development.
It is in the interest of both sides to work continuously for a friendly relationship, the ambassador said, adding that China wants to work together with everyone including Australia and Fiji to build a new form of international relations.
He urged the Australian media to do more to help improve relations between the two countries through objective and fair coverage of China's development and bilateral ties.
Two Australian Navy vessels, HMAS Adelaide and HMAS Melbourne, arrived into the Suva Port on Saturday for visit and both vessels are enroute to Hawaii to participate in Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2018.
