Post #150687

China respects ex-Soviet states as sovereign nations - foreign ministry China respects the status of the independent sovereign nations that emerged from the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Monday, after Beijing's envoy to Paris sparked a diplomatic storm by questioning their sovereignty. Ambassador Lu Shaye said in an interview aired on French television on Friday that former Soviet countries like Ukraine lacked "actual status in international law", prompting foreign ministers from several EU member states to label his comments as totally unacceptable. China's foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning set out the official stance of the government during a regular news conference in Beijing, when asked if China stood behind the envoy's remarks. read more