EU ministers say China envoy’s remarks on Ukraine sovereignty unacceptable

Before a Monday meeting, some EU foreign ministers condemned China’s ambassador to France’s remarks doubting the sovereignty of former Soviet governments like Ukraine.

“It is totally unacceptable,” Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said before the bloc’s foreign ministers’ Luxembourg summit. “I hope this ambassador’s bosses clarify.”

On Friday, Chinese ambassador to Paris Lu Shaye told French television that Crimea was historically 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.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis called such comments “completely unacceptable” and said the three Baltic countries—all former Soviet republics—would summon Chinese representatives later in the day to officially ask for clarification and check if its position had changed.

Lu’s weekend remarks upset France, Ukraine, and the three Baltic republics.

China’s foreign ministry spokesperson said Beijing recognized the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of all countries and upheld the UN Charter’s purposes and principles when asked if Lu’s view was official.

A regular press conference spokeswoman said China has been “objective and impartial” on sovereignty issues.

China Strategy
In an interview released on Monday, China’s representative to the European Union reassured Ukraine’s neutrality by saying that China’s collaboration with Europe and other nations was “endless” and its connections with Russia were “unlimited.”

The Paper interviewed Chinese ambassador to the EU Fu Cong at an unknown time.

However, it followed China’s ambassador to France’s statements.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the 27-nation bloc would “assess and recalibrate (its) strategy towards China” at Monday’s summit, including the Chinese ambassador to France’s comments.

“We will have to continue discussions about China, it is one of the most important issues of our foreign policy,” he said.

Luxembourg’s foreign minister Jean Asselborn branded Lu’s comments a “blunder” and said efforts were being made to calm things down.

Lu is known as one of China’s “wolf warrior” ambassadors, hawkish and confrontational.

He has been summoned to the French foreign ministry multiple times, including for calling a noted China scholar at a French think-tank a “mad hyena” and for implying France was abandoning elderly nursing home residents during the COVID-19 outbreak.