Unlike the West, Beijing has tried to appear neutral on the issue of Russian incursions. But it has never hidden its close ties to Moscow, nor has it condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
During the week of the end of April 2023, China’s stance on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine once again attracted the attention of the international community.
Lu Shaye, the Chinese ambassador to France, raised the “challenge of sovereignty theory” when talking about Ukraine and other former Soviet countries, which caused dissatisfaction in many countries. While China’s foreign ministry tried to cool down, Chinese President Xi Jinping had a long-awaited phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky.
Incidents about China’s “Hong Kong National Security Law” have also sprung up this week: it is believed to be the first case since the promulgation of the law that a Hong Kong citizen was arrested by the national security police for speaking overseas, which aroused the attention of Japanese public opinion. At the same time, the original Pro-democracy trade union cadres are believed to have given up on applying for a May Day parade permit after being interviewed by the national security police, and suffered emotional breakdowns.
In the past week, BBC Chinese and above news content has attracted the attention of readers. If you missed them, we’ll take you through them all.
1. Chinese Ambassador to France Lu Shaye’s remarks denying the sovereignty of the former Soviet Union caused a public outcry
image source,China News Service
Lu Shaye, the Chinese ambassador to France, often makes controversial remarks. He previously said that Meng Wanzhou was arrested because of “white superiority”, insulted famous French scholars as “little hooligans”, and said that Taiwan will undergo “re-education” after “unification”. “wait.
Lu Shaye, the Chinese embassy in France, said in an interview with French TV station LCI on April 21: “From the perspective of international law, it can even be said that those former Soviet countries do not have effective international legal status, because there is no international agreement to recognize their status as sovereign states. .”
The embassy issued a statement on the 24th, labeling Lu Shaye’s remarks as “personal views” and taking down the full text of the interview released earlier. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning reiterated respect for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all countries. But French President Emmanuel Macron criticized that diplomats should not use such rhetoric, and France expressed its full solidarity with the affected countries, stressing that their borders are inviolable.
Earlier, France and the three Baltic countries – Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – all summoned the Chinese ambassador there to demand an explanation, and Ukraine’s presidential adviser also condemned the relevant remarks. Eighty members of the European Parliament issued an open letter calling on the French government to list Lu Shaye as a “persona non grata” and expel him from the country.
A number of international relations scholars pointed out to the BBC Chinese analysis that Lu Shaye’s remarks seemed to be just small mistakes, but they “fatally hurt” the relationship between China and the EU. Embarrassment over Macron’s overtures to Beijing.
2. Xi Jinping spoke with Zelensky on the phone for the first time since the outbreak of the Ukraine war. The international community looks forward to peace
Zelenskiy said he believed the phone call and the appointment of Ukraine’s ambassador to China would give a strong impetus to the development of relations between the two countries.
Chinese President Xi Jinping had a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on April 26. This was the first phone call between the two since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war. The outside world also hopes that China will use its influence on Russia to promote the Russia-Ukraine war. Finish.
Zelensky revealed on his Twitter that the call lasted an hour. The two exchanged views on the current war. The most direct result is that China will send a former ambassador to Russia as a special envoy to Ukraine, and Ukraine will replace the ambassador to China who has been vacant for two years.
Europe, the United States and other countries have basically expressed their welcome to this call, hoping to achieve a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. However, in the document released after the call, China did not mention Russia’s withdrawal of troops. Possibilities are questioned.
3. Three Hong Kong National Security Law incidents: Japanese girls studying abroad, May 1 parade sponsors and Jimmy Lai
The BBC’s Newsnight has documented Hong Kong’s last remaining street protests.
Japanese and overseas Chinese media have recently reported that a Hong Kong student traveling in Japan was arrested by the Hong Kong National Security Police. The Hong Kong police stated that the arrested woman was suspected of the crime of “inciting secession” under the “Hong Kong National Security Law” and is currently being released on bail pending investigation. Another claim that she has been asked to surrender her passport.
According to news from Japan, the arrested girl was accused of violating the “Hong Kong National Security Law” and said that she published it online during her stay in Japan. Some overseas commentators expressed concerns about the extraterritorial power of the “Hong Kong National Security Law” to BBC Chinese. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroichi Matsuno said on the 26th that the case “damages people’s trust in ‘one country, two systems'”.
Earlier this week, the British Parliamentary All-Partisan Hong Kong Group (APPG on Hong Kong) issued a report criticizing the London government for its cold treatment of the founder of “Next Media”, Jimmy Lai, who was prosecuted under the “Hong Kong National Security Law”. British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly (James Cleverly; Qi Zhanming) retorted in an interview with the BBC that he had spoken out about Li Zhiying’s situation, but to continue to speak out, he must continue to engage with China.
The Commissioner’s Office of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong successively “expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition” to the comments made by Britain and Japan. The Commissioner’s Office criticized the report of a British MP for “undermining the rule of law in Hong Kong under the guise of freedom of the press, supporting the anti-China chaos in Hong Kong, and blatantly interfering in Hong Kong affairs and China’s internal affairs.” Talking nonsense with eyes closed, with sinister intentions, is disgusting.”
Also this week, Huang Naiyuan, the former chairman of the disbanded pro-democracy trade union Workers Union, originally applied to hold a May Day parade in his own name, but was taken away by the authorities on the 26th.
Huang Naiyuan later announced the cancellation of the parade. Du Zhenhao, who applied for the parade with him, said that “details are limited to Article 63 of the National Security Law of the Port Area and cannot be disclosed”, indicating that he should have been contacted by the National Security Police. According to the provisions of the “Hong Kong National Security Law”, organizations and individuals who cooperate with handling national security cases must keep the content confidential.
4. Fucha Yanhe, the publisher of Taiwan’s Eight Banners Culture, confirmed that he accepted the investigation by China’s national security
image source,Getty Images
The Eight Banners Culture established by Fucha publishes many books on Chinese history and politics, some of which are considered banned in China.
Fucha (real name Li Yanhe, also known as Fucha Yanhe), editor-in-chief of Taiwan’s Eight Banners Culture Publishing House, was suspected of being “secretly arrested” in Shanghai when he visited relatives in mainland China in March. The Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council of China confirmed on April 26 that Fucha is being investigated by the mainland’s national security agency for allegedly engaging in activities that endanger national security.
Eight Banners Culture has published many banned books in China. The outside world questioned whether it was liquidated by the Chinese government, and it was associated with the “Causeway Bay Bookstore Incident” in Hong Kong. Chen Chien-jen, Taiwan’s premier, said last week that the government would provide necessary care and assistance to the families.
The news of Fucha’s disappearance was first disclosed on social media by his friend and exiled Chinese-American writer Bei Ling. Belling told BBC Chinese that it is estimated that what the relevant Chinese agencies want to know most is how Fu Cha, as a person who was in the system, became what he is today. It’s how his whole change is constituted.”
5. South Korean President Yoon Seok-yue’s visit to the United States, the development of nuclear weapons has become a focus
Yoon Suk-yue (centre left) is the first visit to the United States by a South Korean president in 12 years.
South Korean President Yoon Seok-yue arrived in the United States on the 24th for a six-day visit and met with US President Joe Biden.
The two sides reached a landmark agreement to counter the North Korean nuclear threat: The United States agreed to regularly deploy American nuclear submarines to South Korea and involve South Korea in its nuclear programming. In return, South Korea agreed not to develop a nuclear weapons program.
Biden said the agreement, known as the Washington Declaration, would strengthen U.S.-South Korea cooperation; Yoon said it marked an unprecedented U.S. commitment to strengthen defenses with nuclear weapons to deter attacks and protect U.S. allies.
The declaration came as North Korea conducted a record number of ballistic missile tests and amid growing concerns about the North’s nuclear threat.
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