China's embassy to Russia criticises treatment of five Chinese citizens at border

The Chinese embassy in Russia expressed criticism over the treatment of five Chinese citizens who were denied entry into Russia. The embassy mentioned that this treatment contradicted the overall friendly relations between the two countries.

The five individuals attempted to enter Russia from Kazakhstan at the end of last month. However, after undergoing a four-hour examination, they were denied entry and their visas were canceled, reported Reuters.

Following the incident, the embassy held a meeting with Russia’s foreign ministry and border agencies. During the meeting, they clearly pointed out that the harsh and excessive law enforcement by Russia in this particular case seriously infringed upon the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens.

In response, the embassy referred to previous statements made by Russian officials, which indicated that Russia welcomes Chinese citizens and does not implement discriminatory policies against them. However, the embassy also highlighted that the destination mentioned in the visa application of the five Chinese citizens did not match their actual intended destination.

Beijing and Moscow have repeatedly spoken of their strong relations since presidents Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin announced a “no limits” partnership in February 2022, when Putin visited Beijing for the opening of the Winter Olympics days before he launched the Ukraine invasion.

On Friday China said it would send a senior official to Saudi Arabia for weekend talks seeking a peaceful settlement to the war in Ukraine at a forum that excludes Russia – a diplomatic coup for Kyiv, the West and the Saudi hosts.

With inputs from agencies