Chinese Wolf Warrior diplomat hits out at Europe’s military focus in Indo-Pacific

China’s ambassador to France, Lu Shaye, suggests nations should instead seek economic and trade cooperation in region
But he says French and German leaders are taking correct approach to ties with Beijing and aren’t influenced by ‘anti-Chinese voices’

China-EU relations

Teddy Ng

Published: 7:00pm, 18 Jun 2021

Why you can trust SCMP

An outspoken Chinese diplomat has taken aim at the military focus of the EU and French Indo-Pacific strategies, but praised France and Germany for not being swayed by “anti-Chinese voices”.

Lu Shaye, China’s ambassador to France, suggested European nations should instead seek to work with countries in the Indo-Pacific region.

“We hope that the Indo-Pacific strategy of the European Union and France can promote cooperation with countries in the region, instead of using it as a strategy against China, especially military confrontation,” Lu said in an interview with French newspaper L’Opinion, according to a transcript posted on the embassy website on Friday.

“Unfortunately, so far we have only seen its military side. France should focus more on economic and trade cooperation,” he said.

02:26

Britain’s new aircraft carrier joins Nato exercises ahead of Indo-Pacific voyage

The European Council adopted the Indo-Pacific strategy in April, highlighting its economic but also security engagement with the region. The strategy calls for free, open and secure maritime supply routes, and France, Germany and Britain are meanwhile boosting their naval presence in the region.

France released its own Indo-Pacific strategy in 2018, the first major European country to do so, and has stepped up its military presence in the region – sending nuclear attack submarines and other navy vessels there and sailing through the disputed South China Sea.

Lu’s remarks follow last weekend’s Group of Seven meeting, at which leaders said they “remain seriously concerned about the situation in the East and South China seas and strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to change the status quo and increase tensions”.

06:33

G7, Nato rhetoric mark ‘seismic shift’ between China and the West

The Chinese ambassador played up trade and economic ties with France, saying there were 1,100 French companies operating in China.

Lu also said remarks by French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel following Monday’s Nato summit showed they were taking the correct approach to relations with Beijing. Macron said the transatlantic security alliance should not “bias our relationship with China”, while Merkel called for “balance” in its dealings with Beijing.

“They both have a strategic vision and are not influenced by the subjective and anti-Chinese voices,” Lu said. “When dealing with Sino-US, Sino-European and Sino-French relations, we have always advocated for the principles of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual benefit and win-win results.”

Lu said China and France had always stuck to the notion of mutual understanding in managing their ties.

“I think that as long as we continue to adhere to this principle, China-France bilateral cooperation can achieve greater results,” he said.

Xi Jinping wants isolated China to ‘make friends and win over the majority’

Lu, 56, is seen as one of China’s new breed of Wolf Warrior diplomats – named for the Chinese action movies – who have taken an aggressive approach to counter Western criticism of the country.

In March, Lu wrote to French Senator Alain Richard in a bid to dissuade him and other politicians from making a planned trip to Taiwan. The embassy later accused French academic Antoine Bondaz of being a “little thug” and a “crazed hyena” after Bondaz criticised the Chinese pressure on French lawmakers. Lu was summoned by France’s foreign ministry over his comments.

Lu told the French newspaper in Tuesday’s interview that China was just defending its interests when its diplomats took a combative approach.

“Since there are so many ‘mad dogs’ attacking China, I am honoured to be awarded the title of Wolf Warrior,” he said. “We are fighters who stand in front of the motherland and fight for her – we’re blocking the path of the mad dogs attacking China.”

Additional reporting by Wendy Wu