On Monday, France summoned Chinese ambassador Lu Shaye to Paris to explain his controversial remarks on French television, which questioned the sovereignty of post-Soviet nations. The Baltic States, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, have also announced that they will summon China’s envoys to the three countries to discuss the matter.
China’s Foreign Ministry attempted to repair the damage on Monday, stating that it recognizes the sovereignty of all former Soviet republics that have declared independence, including Ukraine.
“China respects the sovereign status of former Soviet republics after the Soviet Union’s dissolution,” said Mao Ning, the ministry spokeswoman, during a news briefing in Beijing. When asked if Lu’s comments on Friday represented official policy, Mao responded, “I can tell you what I stated just now represents the official position of the Chinese government.”
She added, “China’s stance on the relevant issues hasn’t changed,” and noted that…
2023-04-24 06:08:18
Original from www.nytimes.com