Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang will visit Europe this week, Beijing said on Monday (May 8). As China pushes to act as a mediator in the Ukraine conflict.
Qin will hold meetings with counterparts from Germany, France and Norway from Monday to Friday. Foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said, without giving further details of his itinerary.
The trip comes two weeks after China insisted it respects the sovereignty of all former Soviet countries. Following comments by its ambassador to France that drew anger in Europe and threw into question Beijing’s efforts to position itself as neutral in the Ukraine war.
Ambassador Lu Shaye said countries that emerged after the fall of the Soviet Union “don’t have effective status under international law. Because there is not an international agreement confirming their status as sovereign nations”.