Chinese Authorities Urge Foreign Embassies to Remove Ukraine Flags and Posters: Kyodo Agency

The Chinese authorities called on foreign diplomatic missions and international organizations in Beijing to remove Ukrainian flags and posters in support of Ukraine from their facades. This was announced today, May 16, by the Kyodo agency.

According to the newspaper, some foreign embassies in Beijing hung posters on their buildings with words of support for Ukraine. For example, posters that say: “Stand with Ukraine” (“Together with Ukraine”) in both English and Chinese.

The agency reports that on May 10, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent out a notice to embassies and international organizations urging them not to use their buildings for “political propaganda” and “avoid provoking conflicts between states.”

Foreign missions are required to follow Chinese law, the ministry said, stressing that Beijing adheres to the principle of diplomatic immunity under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

It is reported that the embassies of European countries and some other countries did not properly respond to the request of the Chinese Foreign Ministry. Flags and posters continue to hang on their walls. These countries include Canada, Germany and Poland.