Ukraine war: China completes belated evacuation mission
- Unlike other countries, Beijing did not suggest its nationals leave Ukraine until after the Russian invasion was launched
- Foreign ministry says government arranged for 4,600 citizens to return home on chartered flights

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said the mission had been wrapped up “without deaths or major casualties”.
“The evacuation of Chinese citizens has come to an end, but the mission to protect the security, legitimate rights and interests of overseas Chinese has yet to be completed,” Wang said.
He said more than 5,200 Chinese nationals in Ukraine had been evacuated to neighbouring countries including Moldova, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Poland and Belarus.
Of those, 4,600 returned to China on government-chartered flights, while others made their own arrangements.
Wang said the Chinese citizens made their way out of Ukraine safely with the help of governments in neighbouring nations, except for one person who was injured driving a car out of the country.
Beijing’s slow response to the war and its late evacuation efforts raised speculation that China was surprised by the invasion, despite its close ties with Moscow – Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Beijing for the Winter Olympics three weeks before the war.
