In a striking press conference in Kyiv on Monday, two Chinese prisoners of war, under tight armed guard, expressed their hopes for a prisoner exchange and issued a warning to fellow Chinese nationals against joining the fight in Ukraine. This event unfolded shortly after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky alleged that Moscow was enlisting Chinese fighters in its ongoing invasion, claiming that several hundred Chinese citizens were directly involved in combat.
While the Kremlin swiftly rebutted these assertions, China’s government cautioned all parties involved in the conflict against making “irresponsible remarks,” highlighting the delicate geopolitical implications of such statements.
The two captured men, dressed in camouflage uniforms and appearing in handcuffs, were escorted into a press center in Kyiv, flanked by armed soldiers. The circumstances of their appearance raised concerns about whether their statements were made freely, as they were clearly under duress.
Zhang Renbo, a 26-year-old who identified himself as a soldier captured in the eastern Donetsk region, conveyed his desire to return home through a prisoner exchange. “I hope China can exchange me with Russia and Ukraine and bring me back to China,” he stated.
The second prisoner, 33-year-old Wang Guangjun, voiced his strong disapproval to fellow countrymen considering joining the conflict, saying, “To my compatriots who want to join the Ukraine war, I want to say: don’t take part in this war.” He further criticized Russia for allegedly misrepresenting its military capabilities and Ukraine’s defenses, stating, “When you really participate in the war, when the moment of the fighting comes, you will find that everything is a lie.”
The press conference is a significant development in the context of the ongoing war, raising questions about foreign involvement and the recruitment of international fighters, as well as the broader ramifications for China’s diplomatic stance in the conflict.
