China has named Lu Shaye as Special Representative for European Affairs, a position overseeing Beijing’s diplomatic relations with Europe. Lu recently completed a five-year tenure as ambassador to France, during which he earned a reputation for making combative statements. (Financial Times)
Our Take
Lu’s appointment is notable because, during his time in Paris, he came to symbolize Beijing’s era of “wolf warrior” diplomacy, a term coined in 2019 to describe the newly bellicose rhetoric from some prominent Chinese officials. Diplomats and foreign ministry spokespeople got into public spats, traded barbs on social media and publicly criticized local officials. A reflection of China’s broader shift to a more assertive foreign policy, the new rhetoric was theoretically meant to signal Beijing’s strength on the world stage.
Lu typified this approach and openly embraced the “wolf warrior” label. He was twice summoned by the French foreign ministry for public insults and threats toward Western officials. He suggested that Taiwanese people would undergo “reeducation” once China takes over the country. And perhaps most infamously, Lu sparked outrage across Europe after saying in 2023 that former Soviet Union states “do not have effective status … under international law.”
