The same day, Ambassador Hanso had a phone conversation with Wang Lutong, Director General of the Department for European Affairs of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and expressed indignation over the comments made by Chinese Ambassador to France Lu Shaye, who questioned the sovereignty of Estonia and other former Soviet states. Ambassador Hanso told Wang Lutong that the Baltic States did not become independent in 1991; instead, they restored their independence after the occupation. Hanso emphasised that the statements by the Chinese ambassador to France about the legal basis of our independence are completely inappropriate and unacceptable.
Representatives of more than 70 states and international organisations attended the presentation ceremony. In addition to President Xi Jinping, the host country was represented by Foreign Minister Qin Gang and Director of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee Foreign Affairs Commission Office Wang Yi.
Hannes Hanso was born in 1971 in Nõo. He graduated from the University of London in 2005 with a degree in Asian politics. From 2005 to 2007, he worked in the International Cooperation Department at the Ministry of Defence. Between 2009 and 2011, Hanso worked at the representation of the European Union in China and Mongolia. Hanso has been the mayor of Kuressaare and a member of the 13th Riigikogu and served as the Chairman of the Riigikogu’s Foreign Affairs and National Defence Committees. From 2015 to 2016, Hanso served as Defence Minister and in 2019, he was a member of the European Parliament. He is co-accredited to Mongolia and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Hanso resides in Beijing, China.
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