Beijing respects Ukraine's sovereignty, says China after envoy's comment on post-Soviet states causes uproar
When asked if China supports Shaye's recent comments, China's foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said that Beijing respected the status of the former Soviet member states as sovereign nations following the collapse of the Soviet Union
FILE PHOTO: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin introduces Mao Ning, a new spokesperson for the ministry, during a news conference in Beijing, China. Reuters
Luxembourg: A day after Chinese envoy Lu Shaye caused an uproar for his position on the sovereignty of post-Soviet states, the country’s foreign ministry has clarified that Beijing respects the autonomy of former Soviet member states.
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and France expressed their dismay over Shaye’s answer to his position on whether Crimea is part of Ukraine or not. Shaye appeared in an interview that aired on French television last Friday.
When asked if China supports Shaye’s recent comments, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said that Beijing respected the status of the former Soviet member states as sovereign nations following the collapse of the Soviet Union.
China has been “objective and impartial” on issues of sovereignty, she said.
He said that Crimea was historically a 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,” Shaye added.
France responded on Sunday by stating 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 foreign ministry spokesperson said.
Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky told reporters ahead of a Luxembourg meeting of EU foreign ministers. “I hope the bosses of this ambassador will make these things straight.”
With inputs from agencies
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France, Baltic states express dismay over Chinese envoy's position on Ukraine's sovereignty
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and France have expressed their dismay over Chinese ambassador Lu Shaye's answer to his position on whether Crimea is part of Ukraine or not