At an international conference held in Singapore, the director of the International Defense College of the National Defense University of the Chinese Communist Party, Xu Hui, openly spread rumors by attributing a fabricated statement from the Russian government to US President Biden. Xu Hui even went as far as suggesting that Ukraine should give up resistance against the Russian invasion, prompting backlash from mainland Chinese public opinion, with some netizens condemning him as a “modern Wang Jingwei.”
On June 3rd, Chinese state-backed Phoenix News and Observer Network published an article titled “Why Fight? Major General Xu Hui Calls on Zelensky to Consider the Value of Ukrainian Lives,” sparking widespread controversy among mainland Chinese public opinion.
According to Phoenix News, on June 2nd at the Shangri-La Dialogue event in Singapore, Major General Xu Hui, the director of the International Defense College of the National Defense University of the Chinese Communist Party, stated in response to media inquiries about the Russia-Ukraine issue, “I advise Ukrainian President Zelensky to consider the value of Ukrainian lives and to think about why they are fighting.”
Xu Hui added, “US President Biden once said a statement, he said he would support Ukraine, fighting until the last Ukrainian.” “If you fight until the last Ukrainian, why are the Ukrainian people fighting for? When you have no people left. He’s not fighting until the last American to support Ukraine, he is selling ammunition to Ukraine, supporting Ukraine in fighting, even if only the last person is left, he will continue selling ammunition.”
Xu Hui suggested that Zelensky should carefully consider what this means for Ukraine, for Europe, and for the world.
In reference to Biden’s statement, the Chinese Major General even added emotive language: “This is a very terrifying discourse,” “It makes me very scared.”
In reality, US President Biden had stated, “As long as there is a single Ukrainian fighting against Russian aggression, the United States will fully support it!”
Regarding Xu Hui’s remarks, an article published on NetEase with a pseudonym expressed shock at seeing such lofty rhetoric, pointing out that while it may be excusable to take advantage of people’s lack of understanding of English, it is unreasonable to assume that people worldwide do not understand the language.
The article stated that Xu, by implication, advised Ukraine to give up resistance, avoid unnecessary sacrifices, and not let the people’s lives come to fighting until the last person. In times of homeland destruction and suffering of the people, when homes are destroyed and nations fall, Ukrainians standing up to resist is not only rightful but also a duty. Protecting the homeland should not require a reason, should it?
Why are Ukrainians fighting? The author of the article seemed to insinuate, “I think, it is definitely not to fight for the indulgences of the privileged, not for the privileges and extravagance of the elite, not for the excessive retirements of the elite compared to their own.”
In recent days, Xu Hui’s questioning of “why Ukrainians are fighting” has sparked debate among Chinese netizens. Some netizens likened Xu Hui to Wang Jingwei, who collaborated with the Japanese during the resistance against Japan, accusing him of being a “surrenderist,” a modern “Wang Jingwei,” with some even mocking Xu Hui as “Xu Jingwei.”
The Epoch Times noted that the phrase “fight until the last Ukrainian” originated from the Russian government, was widely reported by Chinese official media such as CCTV and “Reference News,” and spread extensively on the Chinese internet, with even some prominent scholars within the Chinese Communist system frequently quoting this phrase to praise Russia and disparage Ukraine.
According to official Chinese introductions, Xu Hui has worked at the National Defense University for nearly three decades, focusing on teaching and researching topics such as Asia-Pacific security, US military strategy, and US-China relations. In 2016, Xu Hui became the director of the Defense College of the National Defense University and was promoted to major general in 2017.
From May 31 to June 2, the 21st Shangri-La Dialogue was held in Singapore, with over 550 representatives from defense and security institutions from more than 40 countries attending. Chinese Defense Minister Wei Feng also led a delegation to participate and delivered a speech.
During the conference, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. spoke at the event, and Xu Hui, the director of the International Defense College of the National Defense University of the Chinese Communist Party, was the first to pose a question to him.
Initially, Xu Hui did not follow the usual protocol of introducing himself at the microphone but instead launched into a long preamble about the “central role of ASEAN” (lasting 1.5 minutes). Prompted by the organizers, Xu Hui then provocatively questioned Marcos Jr. about the South China Sea issue, only to be rebuked by the latter.
Xu Hui’s questioning mirrored Chinese official propaganda on the tense situation in the South China Sea, accusing the Philippines of causing trouble in the South China Sea and of obeying the commands of its treaty ally, the United States. In fact, nearly every country surrounding China has been complained about by the Chinese Communist Party, with the complaints being almost identical.
Marcos Jr. responded by stating that the Philippines “still adheres to” various “principles” of the ASEAN group. He reiterated the Philippines’ commitment to the “central role of ASEAN,” a core element of the Philippines’ foreign policy.