China reaffirmed its respect for the sovereignty of all ex-Soviet countries yesterday, following controversial comments made by its ambassador to France. The statements, which questioned the sovereignty of former Soviet states, have triggered a backlash in Europe and cast doubt on Beijing’s attempts to position itself as an impartial mediator in the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
Ambassador Lu Shaye’s remarks prompted the European Union’s three Baltic nations to summon Chinese envoys for an explanation. Lu was also asked to “make his public remarks in line with the official position of his country,” during a meeting with French Foreign Minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, yesterday.
In an interview with French broadcaster LCI last Friday, Lu claimed that countries that emerged after the Soviet Union’s collapse “don’t have effective status under international law because there…
