About half of China’s 6,000 citizens in Ukraine evacuated as safety concerns grow
- Foreign ministry says they are being transferred and evacuated from neighbouring countries ‘in a safe and orderly manner’
- Some Chinese say they have experienced hostility from Ukrainians over Beijing’s stand on the conflict
Spokesman Wang Wenbin told reporters in Beijing on Thursday that the government “attaches great importance to the safety of Chinese nationals in Ukraine, and is concerned at all times about whether they are in safety or danger”.
“Currently, Chinese citizens in various regions of Ukraine are being transferred to and evacuated from neighbouring countries in a safe and orderly manner,” he said.
It came after the foreign ministry spokesman on Wednesday said a Chinese national had been injured as he tried to leave the country – the first confirmed Chinese casualty of the conflict. Wang said the man had gunshot wounds but was not in a critical condition.
China did not begin evacuation efforts for its roughly 6,000 nationals in Ukraine until after Russia invaded last week. Other countries had urged their nationals to leave Ukraine more than a week before Russia’s offensive began.