Germany Summons Chinese Envoy Over Reports of Russian Troop Training in China
Berlin – The German foreign ministry summoned the Chinese ambassador for urgent talks on Thursday following media reports that Russian soldiers are being trained on Chinese soil, the ministry confirmed on Friday.
In a statement, the ministry described the reports as “deeply disturbing,” suggesting that such activities indicate support for Russia from Chinese state actors, particularly the Chinese People’s Liberation Army. “Anything that enables Russia to continue its war of aggression against Ukraine also represents a threat to our security,” the ministry said.
The reported training was first published by the German daily Die Welt on May 20. Citing classified documents from European intelligence services, the newspaper claimed that the Chinese army had secretly trained several hundred Russian soldiers, some of whom were later deployed in Ukraine. These claims could not be independently verified by Reuters.
The German government has repeatedly expressed concern over China’s support for Russia, including during a visit by Chancellor Friedrich Merz to China in February. The ministry added that it is “addressing this issue in depth with its European partners.”
The story emerged during a summit in Beijing that brought together Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, highlighting the ongoing strategic partnership between the two nations. Neither China nor Russia has publicly responded to the allegations.
