The Prime Minister of the UK took to China’s Sina Weibo on Tuesday to send a message to Russian President, Vladimir Putin, warning about “doing what would be a disastrous mistake for the country.” This move both baffled and amused Chinese netizens.
“We are on the verge of a cliff. Yet, President Putin still has time to step back and think. We urge everyone to get involved into dialogue. The Russian government should avoid doing what would be a disastrous mistake for the country,” UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson posted on his Sina Weibo account on Tuesday, three months after its last tweet on the promise made by China and the US on climate change.
Yet, the seemingly solemn post on Tuesday triggered wide sarcasm among Chinese netizens. “Why is a UK Prime Minister sending a message to the Russian President on Chinese Sina Weibo? Putin has no account on this social platform,” one netizen asked.
Others suspect that the UK Prime Minister wants to influence Chinese netizens on the recent tensions between Russia and Ukraine. “Sorry we are not buying this trick, Prime Minister. You must have underestimated your and your allies’ credibility among Chinese people,” said another netizen.
The post was soon trending on Sina Weibo. It has received 32,000 comments as of Tuesday night, most with sarcasm and criticism of the “ridiculous move” of shouting at Putin on Sina Weibo.
Johnson also posted several tweets over the recent two days to “warn” about the situation in Ukraine. However, they were also flooded with criticism and mockery.
The UK has been trying to embolden its presence on the recent Russia-Ukraine row. Johnson and US President Joe Biden agreed in a call on Monday that a “crucial window for diplomacy” remained over the Ukraine situation, Johnson’s office said.
Wang Wenbin, spokesperson of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that China’s position on Ukraine is consistent, clear and remains unchanged. “We believe all parties should earnestly follow the Minsk-2 agreement and work toward the comprehensive resolution of the Ukraine crisis and issues concerned through dialogue and negotiation,” Wang remarked.
Photo: Screenshot of UK Prime Minister’s Weibo account
