Chinese ambassador to France's remarks were undoubtedly intentional and made at the instruction of Beijing

For wolf-warrior envoy in France, it's mission accomplished

Lu Shaye, the Chinese ambassador to France, has been known to make controversial remarks. He once said that after China's unification of Taiwan, people on the island should be "reeducated" to foster patriotism.
 
This week, Lu dominated the headlines when he made controversial statements questioning the sovereignty of former Soviet states." These ex-USSR countries don't have actual status in international law because there is no international agreement to materialize their sovereign status," he told French television.
 
Some have concluded that this was a "wolf-warrior diplomat" who let his tongue slip. Others believe that the remarks were undoubtedly intentional and made at the instruction of Beijing. If the latter is correct, the issue is considerably serious. Were the words a goodwill message to Russian President Vladimir Putin?
 
The reaction has been harsh. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis tweeted: "If anyone is still wondering why the Baltic states don't trust China to 'broker peace in Ukraine,' here's a Chinese ambassador arguing that Crimea is Russian and our countries' borders have no legal basis."
 
Why does Lu, or China, feel the need to pander to Putin? Are there parallels between the relationship of Russia and the former Soviet republics and those between China and Taiwan? Does China need Russia to be on its side if it decides to take action on Taiwan?
 
What Lu said may have been illogical from the viewpoint of international law. But from Beijing's political standpoint, it could all make sense.