France and the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania expressed dismay after China’s ambassador in Paris questioned the sovereignty of former Soviet Union (USSR) countries such as Ukraine.
Asked about his position on whether Crimea is part of Ukraine, Chinese Ambassador to France Lu Shaye (盧沙野) said in an interview aired on French television on Friday that historically it was part of Russia and had been offered to Ukraine by former Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev.
“These ex-USSR countries don’t have actual status in international law because there is no international agreement to materialize their sovereign status,” Lu said.
France yesterday stated its “full solidarity” with all the allied countries affected, which it said had acquired their independence “after decades of oppression.”
“On Ukraine specifically, it was internationally recognized within borders including Crimea in 1991 by the entire international community, including China,” a French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs spokesperson said.
It took note of Lu’s comments “with consternation,” and reiterated the illegality of the Crimea annexation under international law, they said.
China would have to clarify whether these comments reflect its position, the spokesperson added.
The three Baltic states said they planned to summon the top Chinese diplomats in their nations to explain the comments. All three are former members of the Soviet bloc, which collapsed in 1991.
Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs Edgars Rinkevics on Saturday wrote on Twitter that the coordinated move was in response to the “unacceptable statements” by Lu.
Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna called the comments “false and a misinterpretation of history.”
The diplomatic spat threatens to overshadow China’s attempts to portray itself as a peacemaker in Russia’s war in Ukraine — and to improve trade and diplomatic relations with the EU.
French President Emmanuel Macron, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and German Minister for Foreign Affairs Annalena Baerbock have visited Beijing in recent weeks.
It also puts a question mark over Macron’s initiative to work with China to establish a framework for negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, Bloomberg News previously reported.
Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Gabrielius Landsbergis cited Lu’s comments in a tweet on Saturday, saying it expalins “why the Baltic States don’t trust China to broker peace in Ukraine.”
Taiwan, which is seeking European support as Beijing seeks to peel off its remaining diplomatic allies, voiced support for Lithuania’s position.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) responded to Landsbergis on Twitter yesterday, voicing solidarity with the Baltic states.
It is not the first time Lu has stirred controversy with his remarks. Last year, he called for Taiwanese to be “re-educated” and blamed “foreign forces” for fueling mass protests that erupted in November last year over China’s strict COVID-19 policies.
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