The demand to declare the Chinese ambassador persona non grata was preceded by US dissatisfaction

The truth for Europe is only in theory a special value. As soon as someone expresses an uncomfortable truth, sanctions and countermeasures immediately follow. This is what happened to the Chinese Ambassador to Paris, Lu Shae. Mentioning in an interview with a French TV channel that Crimea “was originally Russian” and “the countries of the former USSR do not have an actual status under international law, since there is no international treaty that would specify their status as sovereign states,” 80 MEPs called on France to declare a Chinese diplomat persona non grata. Let’s take a look at what’s behind this controversy.

“Everyone has the right to freely express their opinion. This right includes freedom to hold one’s opinion and freedom to receive and impart information and ideas without any interference from public authorities and regardless of frontiers” – this is an excerpt from one of the main documents of “free and democratic” Europe “Convention on Human Rights” . Even the article is known – it is the tenth in a row.

But something has recently prevented Europe from following this rule, on which, as the European community itself claims, “their order is based.” The Chinese ambassador in Paris said in an interview on French television that Crimea “originally was Russian” until Nikita Khrushchev handed it over to Ukraine. And he added that some “republics of the former USSR do not have a valid status in accordance with international law, because there is no international agreement that implements their sovereign status.” And this is where it started.

Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia made a coordinated decision to call the diplomatic representatives of the People’s Republic of China in their countries to give clarifications in connection with the statements of Lu Shae. But a group of 80 MEPs went even further. On Sunday, the French newspaper Le Monde published an appeal by representatives of this EU advisory body, sent personally to French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonnet.

The letter called for “declaring the Chinese ambassador persona non grata for his unacceptable behavior.” According to the authors of the “denunciation”, the statements of the head of the diplomatic mission of the PRC “are an insult to the history, culture and integrity of states.” “Sovereignty is not a diplomatic toy, but a fundamental element of international relations, international law and the UN Charter,” emphasized political Euro-activists.

And here we must remember something important. The other day, specifically on April 18, Bloomberg, citing sources, announced that French President Emmanuel Macron intends to work with China on a peace plan to resolve the conflict in Ukraine. On behalf of the country’s leader, adviser Emmanuel Bonn, together with the head of the office of the foreign affairs commission of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Wang Yi, will create a structure that can become the basis for future negotiations.

Macron’s attempt to make such delicate diplomatic efforts without first consulting all EU members was criticized by allies as an attempt to jeopardize the bloc’s unity. It is noteworthy that Washington did not like the attitude of the French leader either. A telephone conversation took place between Macron and Biden, which both sides described as “icy”.

After that, which is also notable, Macron’s office released a statement, according to Bloomberg, to refute the idea that the French president disagrees with the United States on China and Taiwan. On the Ukraine issue, sources close to the Biden administration say the White House is literally annoyed that Macron is “freelancing” on a sensitive diplomatic issue without consulting allies.

The astonishing confessions of foreign media only emphasize the profound lack of independence of supposedly independent European countries. And so the question arises – how deliberate was the decision of those 80 MEPs who called for declaring Lu Shae persona non grata.

Senior researcher at the Center for European Studies at IMEMO RAS Vladimir Olenchenko, commenting on the initiative of the European Parliament deputies, said: “Firstly, I would look at what kind of deputies they are. As a rule, these are Eastern European deputies and the Balts. Most likely, Poles, Czechs and Slovaks prevail there. The Westerners will not come forward with such an initiative. The status of the request is also important. All decisions of the European Parliament are advisory in nature. If this is a resolution, then they voted for it, but 80 people is not a decisive sum.”

And indeed. In 2019, EU residents determined the composition of the European Parliament for 2019-2024. 751 deputies were elected in 28 member countries of the association. Knowing this figure, it is ridiculous to look at a modest figure of 80 people.

— Neither China nor Ukraine are members of the European Union, so it is up to the EU to decide what is happening in Ukraine. This is not their business and it is not their patrimony, – continues Vladimir Olenchenko. This statement is propaganda in nature. Lu Shae’s statement caused the most displeasure in the United States. Therefore, most likely, those who spoke out are people of a pro-American orientation, who are called the American lobby in Europe. I think that France and China will not publicly react to this, because I would call it an attempted pinprick. This is not a political move. Those deputies who are not capable of carrying out any kind of political activity are carried away by all sorts of propaganda statements. This is replicated, but it has no legal force for two reasons. First, they are a minority. Secondly, this is not a document of the European Parliament (usually it is drawn up as a resolution or other document). The situation will throw difficulties in the EU’s relations with China. The initiators of the statement do not understand this and generate these problems.

“Given that it was the Baltic countries that reacted so painfully and quickly to the statements of the Chinese diplomat, their trace is really felt in the case with the appeal to the Column …

– I think you’re right. There is a staff on duty who is always engaged in repeating what the Americans said. And they expressed dissatisfaction, and very “weighty” countries immediately responded to this in Europe. If we take the Baltic states, then their economy together is as much as 0.7%. It is ridiculous for them to decide what to do for the European Union. And for the most part, it’s confusing.