Xi’s Charm Offensive Falters After China Envoy Angers Europe
- Beijing calls Lu Shaye’s comments ‘personal points of view’
- Xi has been trying to cast China as peacemaker for Ukraine
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Xi Jinping had been on a winning streak of late, successfully rebuffing US attempts to portray China as a threat to the global order. Then an envoy in France instantly revived all those fears.
China has moved swiftly to extinguish a firestorm in Europe caused by Ambassador Lu Shaye, who questioned the independence of ex-Soviet states during an interview with a local broadcaster.