Kiribati's pro-China government bars foreign officials from visiting until 2025, citing elections

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The government of Kiribati is suspending all diplomatic visits to the tiny Pacific Island nation until next year and has cancelled some already planned, because it is in the midst of an election process that could run for several more months, an official said Thursday. Some analysts said that while Kiribati's bureaucracy is small, the suspension could reflect a desire to avoid foreign checks on its government formation process. George Carter, an expert on Kiribati at the Australian National University in Canberra, said the ban appears to be an attempt to “safeguard” politicians from foreign interference as they negotiate to form a government. New Zealand’s foreign ministry said in a written statement only that it was “aware that the Republic of Kiribati has asked to suspend incoming visits.” Australia’s department of foreign affairs said it did not share official correspondence from other governments.