The Chinese government has denied any involvement of its citizens in the war between Russia and Ukraine and has promised to assess the actions of Chinese nationals who were captured in Donetsk in accordance with national laws after a thorough investigation, UkrInform reports.
China’s policy of assessing the behavior of its prisoners of war raises concerns about potential punitive measures against captured soldiers and could be an attempt to shift blame for participating in Russia’s war onto the POWs themselves.
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian made the statements in response to a request from the media correspondent in China regarding the captured Chinese nationals’ appeal to their government to be repatriated.
“The position of the Chinese government is very clear. We have issued numerous warnings and urged Chinese citizens to stay away from conflict zones, avoid participating in armed conflicts in any form, and refrain from engaging in military operations on any side,” Lin Jian said.
According to him, Chinese government agencies are still verifying the information about the detained Chinese citizens in Ukraine and are clarifying all related circumstances.
“The behavior of individual Chinese citizens abroad will be examined in accordance with Chinese law, and necessary consular and other actions will be taken,” the spokesperson claimed.
He stated that China’s stance on Russia’s war against Ukraine, which the country calls “the Ukrainian crisis,” remains consistent and clear, advocating for peace negotiations to end the conflict.
“We ask all relevant parties to correctly understand China’s objective and fair position and to refrain from political manipulation or using this situation (with the captured Chinese citizens in Ukraine) for self-promotion or publicity,” the diplomat said.
Chinese mercenaries Zhang Renbo and Wang Guanjun, who were captured by Ukrainian forces in Donetsk Oblast, have expressed their willingness to be exchanged and have requested the Chinese government to bring them back to their homeland.
Earlier, the EU’s chief diplomat, Kaja Kallas, called China the “main sponsor” of Russia’s war, commenting on the information about the participation of Chinese citizens in the war against Ukraine.
At least 155 Chinese nationals are fighting in the Russian army, and Ukrainian intelligence services are aware of their presence on the battlefield. As of April 2025, the recruitment of Chinese citizens into the Russian army continues, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
