Chinese Embassy in France
The Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in France is China’s chief diplomatic mission to France. The mission was established on January 27, 1964, following the normalization of diplomatic relations between the People’s Republic of China and France. The embassy has generated considerable controversy in recent years over its commentary on France’s domestic affairs and the behaviour of its staff. In April 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the embassy published an unsigned commentary on its website alleging that nursing home staff had “abandoned their posts overnight” and left elderly residents “to die of hunger and disease.” The French Foreign Ministry summoned the Chinese ambassador to protest the remarks, which French officials said bore no relation to reality. The embassy has also engaged in direct criticism of French media outlets, scholars, and legislators who have raised concerns about China’s policies. In March 2021, former Chinese Ambassador to France Lu Shaye (盧沙野) published an opinion piece attacking French researcher Antoine Bondaz, who had criticized France’s relationship with China, calling him a “small-time hoodlum” and an “ideological troll.” The unprecedented personal attack on an academic drew swift condemnation from French officials and the scholarly community. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian described the ambassador’s language as “unacceptable” and summoned him for an explanation.