16 Nov 2010

Chinese embassy dismisses Pohiva claim of supporting Tonga election candidate

4:40 pm on 16 November 2010

The Chinese Embassy in Tonga says political candidate Akilisi Pohiva is wrong to claim that the Ambassador attended an election meeting on Monday and endorsed a candidate.

Mr Pohiva made the claim saying Princess Pilolevu had also attended a meeting in support of Saia Moehau.

But a spokesperson for the Embassy, Rae Yi, says the Ambassador, Wang Donghua, was attending a function of the Tonga China Friendship Association to farewell the Princess, whose husband is taking up a post in the US.

And Mr Yi says while Mr Moehau was there as a member of the Association, the Ambassador didn't give him an endorsement or promise aid to the electorate as Mr Pohiva has claimed.

"He just said that Tonga is a beautiful country and its is a very special country where time begins. And as China's ambassador he has much pleasure and the Chinese government will support Tonga, the whole country. There is nothing from the embassy about the election campaign, the election meeting. It was not an election meeting, just a farewell function."