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Macron, visiting Belgium for an offshore-wind summit, said: “It’s not a diplomat’s place to use this sort of language.”
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“Full solidarity to the countries that have been attacked in the interpretation of their history and borders.
“We stand side-by-side with our European friends and allies who have had such a painful past, in the 20th century as well as in the 19th century, and who today are sovereign states whose borders are inviolable.”
China’s embassy in France issued a statement saying that the ambassador’s remarks were not a statement of politics “but an expression of personal views” and “should not be subject to over-interpretation”. It removed a transcript of Lu’s television interview from its website.
European foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg said they would be demanding an explanation from Beijing.
Gabrielius Landsbergis, foreign minister of Lithuania, whose country has taken a strong stance against China on Taiwan, said his country’s scepticism had been vindicated.
“Later today, three Baltic states will be summoning representatives … to ask for clarification – has China’s position changed on independence – and to remind him that we’re not post-Soviet countries, we’re countries that were illegally occupied by the Soviet Union,” Landsbergis said.
“We do not trust China as a possible mediator [between Russia and Ukraine], it definitely has chosen a side. They’ve sided with Russia, politically.”
Asked what the foreign ministers meeting would conclude on the Chinese ambassador’s comments, the EU’s top diplomat Josep Borrell said: “It will be for sure, a strong position in order to clarify the official thinking of the Chinese government.”
Estonia’s newly appointed foreign minister Margus Tsahkna said he had summoned China’s representative.
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“We asked why China has such a position about the Baltic states,” he said.
“We are independent sovereign countries. I hope that there will be an explanation. We are not satisfied.”
The Czech Republic’s foreign minister Jan Lipavsky said the Chinese ambassador’s comments were “totally unacceptable”.
“We are denouncing such a statement. It is a surprising statement from an official from any state who should understand how international relationships are built.”
Seventy-two MPs from across Europe and the UK signed an open letter published in Le Monde that said the Chinese ambassador’s comments were aggressive, violated international law, and were a threat to Europe’s security.
“Such comments go well beyond the boundaries of acceptable diplomatic discourse,”
“This is wolf warrior activity at its worst and should not go unanswered.”
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