France urges Chinese ambassador to comply with summons over ‘insults and threats’

Envoy cites scheduling issues for delay in answering call to foreign ministry
Europe minister say he’s not convinced by explanation

France

Agence France-Presse

Published: 8:05pm, 23 Mar 2021

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French officials expect China’s ambassador in Paris to comply “as quickly as possible” with a foreign ministry summons over recent tweets targeting French lawmakers and a researcher, Europe Minister Clement Beaune said on Tuesday.

The foreign ministry called in ambassador Lu Shaye on Monday over what it called his “unacceptable comments” in recent days, including “insults and threats”.

But Beaune said Lu had snubbed the summons, with the Chinese embassy in Paris citing “scheduling issues” in a Twitter post late on Monday and saying the envoy would appear on Tuesday.

“I don’t really believe there’s a scheduling problem, and this isn’t how these things work,” Beaune told France Info radio.

“Neither France nor Europe is a doormat.

“When you are summoned as an ambassador, you pay a visit to the foreign ministry.”

03:36

Beijing hits back at Western sanctions against China’s alleged treatment of Uygur Muslims

Lu, an envoy known for his aggressive and outspoken comments on the embassy’s Twitter account, has targeted several people recently including Antoine Bondaz, a China specialist at the Foundation for Strategic Research think tank.

Starting on Friday, he derided Bondaz as a “small-time hoodlum”, a “crazed hyena” and “ideological troll” with “anti-Chinese” stances after Bondaz complained about Chinese pressure on French lawmakers hoping to visit Taiwan.

Lu also took aim at French lawmakers who wanted to travel to Taiwan.

China, Russia agree to work together against ‘illegitimate’ sanctions

The diplomatic spat comes as China reacted furiously to new Western sanctions over rights violations and a crackdown against a Muslim Uygur minority it accuses of religious extremism.

Rights groups believe at least one million Uygurs and other mostly Muslim minorities have been incarcerated in camps in the northwestern region, where China is also accused of forcibly sterilising women and imposing forced labour.

Beijing responded with entry bans on 10 Europeans – including five members of the European Parliament as well as two EU bodies and two think tanks.