On the defensive on human rights, China’s ambassadors go on the attack
- Beijing’s envoys used to fly under the public radar but they’re becoming more vocal about hot-button issues
Once low-profile diplomatic players, China’s ambassadors are now going on the offensive, threatening sanctions on countries that challenge Beijing’s stand on big issues like Xinjiang and the anti-government protests in Hong Kong.
Among the most vocal is Gui Congyou, China’s envoy to Sweden, who said on Wednesday that China would limit economic and trade cooperation, according to Swedish news reports.
“The Chinese government absolutely cannot allow any country, organisation or person to harm China’s national interests. Of course, we must take countermeasures,” the Göteborgs-Posten daily newspaper quoted Gui as saying.
“The Swedish government’s cultural exchanges with China will of course be affected. Our economic and trade relations will also be affected.”
Beijing feels they are under attack on these issues, by foreign governments and by – as they see it– ‘unfair and biased’ reporting in the media
Sweden’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs said it was aware of the reports but declined to comment.