The Baltic States summoned Chinese representatives after China’s ambassador to France questioned the sovereignty of countries that declared independence from the Soviet Union. 

Lu Shaye, China’s ambassador to France, in 2019. On French television on Friday, he said post-Soviet countries “do not have an effective status in international law.”Credit...Sebastien Nogier/EPA, via Shutterstock 

France summoned the Chinese ambassador to Paris, Lu Shaye, on Monday to explain his controversial remarks on French television questioning the sovereignty of post-Soviet nations. The Baltic States, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, said that they would also send for China’s envoys to the three countries to discuss the matter.

China’s Foreign Ministry tried to repair the damage on Monday, insisting that it recognized the sovereignty of all the former Soviet republics that have declared independence, including Ukraine.

“China respects the sovereign status of former Soviet republics after the Soviet Union’s dissolution,” said the ministry spokeswoman, Mao Ning, speaking at a news briefing in Beijing. Asked if Mr. Lu’s comments on Friday represented official policy, Ms. Mao responded: “I can tell you what I stated just now represents the official position of the Chinese government.”

She added: “China’s stance on the relevant issues hasn’t changed,” and noted that China was one of the first countries to establish relations with all the “relevant countries” after the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991.

The recent rhetorical gyrations of Chinese diplomats — including Mr. Lu and Fu Cong, the Chinese ambassador to the European Union — suggest that Beijing is still struggling to strike a balance between courting European leaders and supporting Russia, with which it has declared a “no limits” partnership. The war in Ukraine has put Beijing in an awkward position: It has refused to condemn Russia’s invasion while also promising not to help Russia militarily in its war.

The State of the War

• Grain Supplies: When Russia’s war blocked vitally needed Ukrainian grain exports, E.U. officials succeeded in finding other routes out. But the solution has caused discontent among European farmers.
• Buying Into Russian Propaganda: A year into the war, some people in eastern Ukrainian still confound officials and the police with their support for Moscow despite the constant bombardment from Russian forces.
• NATO: With Finland now officially in the fold of the organization, the Biden administration is turning its attention to Sweden, another long-neutral nation that now wants to join the military alliance.
• Evan Gershkovich: The Wall Street Journal reporter, who was arrested in Russia on suspicion of espionage, declared his innocence at a hearing in Moscow, in his first public appearance since his detention. The judge denied Gershkovich’s appeal to lift his pretrial detention.
• Mr. Lu sparked widespread consternation when asked on the French television station, TF1, whether Crimea, which was illegally