China has asked foreign embassies to remove “political propaganda” to “avoid causing disputes between countries”.
Foreign embassies in Beijing have been asked by the Chinese government to avoid displaying what it calls propaganda over signs of support for Ukraine.
China says it is neutral in Moscow’s 15-month-old invasion of Ukraine but has repeated Russian justifications, accusing Washington and NATO of provoking Moscow.
A Chinese envoy visited Ukraine this week and was due to go to Russia to discuss a possible “political settlement,” though little progress is expected.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry asked diplomatic missions last week not to use their exterior walls to display “political propaganda”, according to a European Union spokesperson and a diplomat from a European government.
The 8 May request said action was needed to “avoid causing disputes between countries,” but did not define propaganda or give other details, EU spokesperson Nabila Massrali wrote in a statement.
Massrali said the EU Delegation in Beijing “has not changed any items displayed at its front wall”.
The request didn’t mention Ukraine, according to the diplomats. But flags and placards set up by embassies of Canada, France, Germany and other governments are the only public displays by most foreign missions, other than tourism advertisements.
The European diplomat, who asked not to be identified further due to the sensitivity of the issue, said his government doesn’t “see any reason to change” its display.
A 2-metre (6.5-foot) placard at the front gate of the Finnish Embassy has the flags of Finland and Ukraine and says “#WeStandWithUkraine.” A billboard hung on Sweden’s Embassy has the same phrase and flags of the two countries.
Those displays have been up for months. It wasn’t clear why China made the removal request now.
Some embassies also raised rainbow flags for Diversity Week and Wednesday’s International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. Such issues are considered politically sensitive by China’s ruling Communist Party.
Asked for details, foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said embassies were obliged to “respect Chinese laws and regulations.”
China calls on embassies of all countries in China and representative offices of international organisations in China to perform their duties in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations or relevant international agreements,” Wang said.
( Source Euronews)
