State Department Spokesperson Jen Psaki said Wednesday that "technical issues" were to blame for the Chinese translation cutting out during a meeting between Secretary of State John Kerry and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
Kerry’s remarks dropped when addressing the current unrest in Hong Kong. Reuters reported that Kerry urged China to "show restraint toward pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong."
"The Chinese government has very formally and clearly stated its position," Wang said. "Hong Kong affairs are China’s internal affairs. All countries should respect China’s sovereignty."
Psaki said "technical issues" persisted through Kerry and Wang’s call including the dropped translations.