A Leading Figure in "Wolf Warrior" Diplomacy
Guo Zhaokun, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is speaking at a regular briefing held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Beijing, China, on the 6th of last month. On the 6th (local time), China appointed Lu Saye, a former ambassador to France and a representative figure of "Wolf Warrior diplomacy," as the Special Representative for European Affairs. / Yonhap News
Lu Saye, a former Chinese ambassador to France and a prominent figure in China's "Wolf Warrior" diplomacy, has been appointed as the Special Representative for European Affairs.
According to reports from China's Xinhua News Agency and foreign media on the 7th, Guo Zhaokun, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, announced at a regular briefing the previous day that Lu was appointed as the successor to Wu Hongbo, the former Special Representative for European Affairs.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained that the newly appointed Special Representative Lu will assist in coordinating and handling European-related affairs and, as necessary, engage in consultations and exchanges with European countries and European Union (EU) institutions.
Spokesperson Guo stated, "(The new Special Representative Lu) is an experienced diplomat well-versed in European affairs who will support communication and coordination with Europe, promote dialogue and cooperation, and contribute to the stable and healthy development of China-Europe relations."
The British daily Financial Times (FT) analyzed that China appointed Lu Saye, known for his aggressive rhetoric, as the Special Representative for European Affairs instead of the traditional and conservative-style predecessor Wu Hongbo, as part of managing relations with Europe.
This move signals China's intention to adopt a tougher stance toward Europe amid signs of changing China-Europe relations, following U.S. President Donald Trump's imposition of an additional 10% tariff on China and threats to impose tariffs on Europe as well.
Michael Sheridan, former Beijing correspondent for The Times and author of the biography of Chinese President Xi Jinping titled Red Emperor, said, "This is a signal appointment," adding, "Amid rumors that the EU and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, are trying to soften their stance toward China, Xi Jinping has dispatched a hardline official whom he fully trusts."
Born in 1964, Lu Saye served as the ambassador to France for over five years from July 2019 until last month, during which he sparked controversy several times with his aggressive remarks. For example, in a March 2022 interview with French broadcaster TF1, he stated, "The former Soviet regional countries do not have a valid status under international law because there was no international agreement concretizing their sovereign state status," which caused international controversy including among the countries concerned.
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