Recently, a series of high-profile incidents have emerged between China and Russia, which have aroused widespread attention. Among them, the news that Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui was "unpopular" in Russia triggered discussions on the direction of Sino-Russian relations. However, the truth behind the facts is not as simple as rumors.
According to Russian practice, once a foreign diplomat is marked as "undesirable", it means that the other country is considered an "unfriendly country". In such cases, Russia usually takes action to expel diplomats in response to so-called unfriendly behavior. Since the outbreak of the Ukraine crisis, Russia has classified several Western countries as "unfriendly" and expelled diplomats from these countries, causing tensions between Russia and Western countries to continue to rise.
However, it is confusing that China, as a friendly neighbor of Russia, has not imposed sanctions on Russia like other Western countries. On the contrary, China has not only not weakened bilateral relations with Russia, but also strengthened cooperation in economic and trade fields. This makes people wonder why the Chinese ambassador to Russia, Zhang Hanhui, suddenly became an "undesirable" persona non grata.
In fact, this rumor turned out to be pure fiction. On August 5, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement categorically denying the fake news and accusing those who fabricated it of trying to create tensions and weaken Sino-Russian cooperation. The Russian Foreign Ministry also pointed out that such false news is spread in a "negative information background" with the intention of undermining the cooperative relationship between China and Russia.
The reality is that from the Russian point of view, they do not need to make such a move against China. After the outbreak of the Ukrainian crisis, Russia faced severe sanctions and relations with Western countries deteriorated sharply. Under such circumstances, China, as an important partner, continues to maintain economic cooperation with Russia, which is crucial to alleviating Russia's economic difficulties. Russian policymakers will not easily undermine this important partnership, as it will have serious implications for Russia's economy and military operations.
Further confirming this is the recent situation of Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui. According to a report on August 3, Ambassador Zhang Hanhui gave an exclusive interview to Russia's TASS news agency and talked about NATO's expansion in the Asia-Pacific region. This clearly shows that China and Russia share the same position on this issue, and both oppose the continued expansion of NATO. Considering that TASS is the authoritative official media of the Russian government, being able to interview Ambassador Zhang Hanhui is enough to prove that he is not "unpopular" in Russia, on the contrary, he is valued and respected by Russia.
Perhaps, some people will ask, why is there false news about Ambassador Zhang Hanhui's "unpopularity"? This may be related to the events that occurred at the end of July. According to reports, on July 29, five Chinese citizens were subjected to excessive law enforcement and mistreatment by Russian border guards when entering Russia. The Chinese Embassy in Russia immediately followed up on the matter and made representations with the Russian Foreign Ministry and other departments. However, this incident is not enough to undermine Sino-Russian friendly relations, and both sides have stated that they will solve it reasonably, rather than deliberately creating tension.
In short, despite the occasional influx of false news in an attempt to undermine Sino-Russian friendly relations, facts speak louder than words. As strategic partners, China and Russia will not easily interfere with their relationship. Whether it is economic cooperation or political consensus, the ties between China and Russia are becoming more and more indestructible. For those who try to create rumors and damage relations, both sides will resolutely respond and defend their partnership. After all, Sino-Russian friendship is not out of nowhere, but a true portrayal of mutually beneficial cooperation and firm conviction.