Well, it looks like the Chinese ambassador to Paris, Lu Shaye, got himself into some hot water with his recent comments about post-Soviet nations. France wasn’t too pleased and decided to summon him for a little chat. But the Baltic States, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, they’re taking this seriously too! They’re also sending for China’s envoys to their countries to discuss the matter. Talk about feeling the burn!
Now, China’s Foreign Ministry is left to fix the damage that Lu Shaye caused. They’re insisting that they recognize the sovereignty of all former Soviet republics, including Ukraine. Their ministry spokeswoman, Mao Ning, tried to clarify their position by stating that Lu’s comments on Friday don’t represent the official policy of the Chinese government. “I can tell you what I stated just now represents the official position of the Chinese government,” she added. Oh, thank goodness for some clarity!
It seems that Chinese diplomats, like Lu Shaye and Fu Cong, are having a hard time balancing their relationships with European leaders and Russia. What a tight spot to be in! China has declared a “no limits” partnership with Russia, but at the same time, they’re not eager to support them militarily. It’s a tricky game of tug of war that they’re playing.
Lu Shaye made quite the splash during his interview with TF1. He was asked if Crimea, which was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014, was part of Ukraine under international law. He answered by saying that Crimea was historically Russian and had been handed over to Ukraine. But the kicker was when he added that the post-Soviet nations didn’t really have an effective status in international law. Yikes, that’s rough!
Now, in contrast to Lu’s comments, China’s ambassador to the European Union, Fu Cong, said in an interview with The New York Times that China didn’t recognize Russia’s annexation of Crimea or parts of Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region. Instead, they recognize Ukraine within its internationally accepted borders. Ah, the plot thickens!
Lu Shaye’s comment about post-Soviet nations didn’t go over well with the EU and Ukraine. They were not having it, especially the Baltic nations who have a history with the Soviet Union. At a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg, Lithuania’s foreign minister, Gabrielius Landsbergis, said that the Chinese ambassadors would be asked to explain their position. His Estonian counterpart, Margus Tsahkna, also wanted an explanation from China about why they’re making comments about the Baltic States. Let’s just say that Lu Shaye’s comment was not the way to win friends and influence people.
Well, it seems like Lu Shaye is no stranger to causing a little stir. Three and a half years and three summons from the French Quai d’Orsay would be enough to make anyone want to stay under the radar for a while. But it looks like this “wolf warrior” diplomat likes to play rough. Now, all we can do is wait and see if China can do some serious damage control.
Serious News: nytimes
