China, PICs to build law enforcement team for lasting security

China stands ready to work together with the Pacific Island countries (PICs) to build a more professional law enforcement team to ensure high-level security guarantees for high-quality development and achieve lasting security in the region, Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong said on Wednesday at the third ministerial dialogue on police capacity building and cooperation between China and the PICs.

Thanks to the cooperation between China and the regional countries, overall law-enforcement capability has significantly improved, which has been warmly welcomed by the local authorities and people. At the same time, improving social order and stability has ensured a favorable business environment, which in turn benefits China's economic cooperation with these countries, Chinese observers said. 

The ministerial dialogue was held in Fuzhou, East China's Fujian Province, which Wang co-chaired with Fiji's Minister for Home Affairs Pio Tikoduadua, Xinhua News Agency reported on Thursday.

The PICs' eagerness to collaborate with China indicates a strong mutual desire, highlighting a stark contrast to the Western approach of transplanting their own systems, Chen Hong, executive director at the Asia Pacific Studies Center of East China Normal University, told the Global Times on Thursday.

Australian media outlet ABC claimed on Thursday that "Chinese state-backed hackers attacked the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF)." 

In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning refuted on Thursday the claim as "politically motivated disinformation," noting that the PIF Secretariat didn't link the hacking to China. 

Mao said the move aims to drive a wedge between regional countries and China.