Why is China ‘reminding’ its male citizens in Russia about Moscow’s military service law?

A Chinese consulate in Russia has issued a rare reminder to Chinese nationals about a new, little-discussed Russian law requiring foreign men under 65 applying for long-term residency to agree to do at least a year of military service for Moscow. In a notice on its social media account on Sunday, the Chinese consulate in Vladivostok advised Chinese nationals to “take note of” new regulations on the processing of Russian long-term residence permits. It said that under these provisions, foreign nationals might be required to serve at least one year in Russia’s military. Foreign men aged 18 to 65 might be granted a waiver if they provided documentation from Russian authorities confirming prior military service or justifying an exemption on medical grounds, the notice added. Otherwise, they must sign a contract agreeing to serve in a Russian military unit for at least one year, according to the post. The consulate advised Chinese citizens to “make prudent decisions based on their individual circumstances to ensure lawful residency status in Russia”. It did not say directly whether it advised Chinese residents in Russia to apply for long-term residency, but China’s foreign ministry has issued multiple alerts before warning its citizens to avoid fighting for either side in the Ukraine war. According to Russian state news agency Tass, President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on November 5 introducing a “temporary procedure” for granting Russian citizenship and permanent residency permits. The report did not give details of the process, and the regulation only started attracting media attention in December when it was covered by some English-language and Ukrainian media outlets. According to media reports, the requirement does not apply to citizens of Belarus, Russia’s key ally. Hu Xijin, a current affairs commentator and former editor-in-chief of China’s Global Times newspaper, urged Chinese nationals in Russia to “exercise caution to avoid inadvertently becoming conscripts”. In a social media post on Thursday, Hu said Russia and Ukraine faced “severe manpower shortages on the battlefield”, and Chinese nationals in Ukraine should exercise particular vigilance as “the situation there is more tense, with resentment towards China”. “As individuals, you must never become entangled in either side’s war or politics,” Hu said. “Furthermore, one must ensure one’s status is entirely lawful, maintain smooth communication with Chinese embassies and consulates, and maintain personal safety.” Since invading Ukraine in 2022, Moscow has continually sought to recruit foreign fighters though the total number remains unknown. In September, Putin said that more than 700,000 Russian servicemen were deployed on the Ukrainian front. According to a Tass report on December 29, a further 261,000 Russian citizens would be enlisted under Putin’s 2026 conscription order. In April last year, Kyiv said Ukrainian forces had captured two Chinese citizens fighting alongside Russian troops, adding that intelligence indicated Moscow had recruited more than 150 Chinese mercenaries via social media. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said at the time that the Chinese government “has consistently urged its citizens to stay away from armed conflict zones, avoid involvement in armed conflicts in any form, and especially refrain from taking part in military operations on either side”. China has faced strong criticism from the West over its stand on the war, which has just entered its fifth year. Beijing has refrained from condemning Moscow’s actions, asserting that China is neither the instigator nor a participant in the conflict. However, China has repeatedly reaffirmed its firm opposition to any nuclear escalation in the war, urging all parties to exercise restraint. During Wednesday’s meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Beijing, President Xi Jinping repeated China’s support for “sustained dialogue” on the war. Olexander Nechytaylo, Ukraine’s ambassador to China, said in Beijing on Tuesday that he hoped China would play an “important” and “critical” role in helping to end the war. During a meeting on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference earlier this month, China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, told his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Sybiha, that Beijing was ready to maintain communication to play a “constructive role” in an early political settlement.

Why is China ‘reminding’ its male citizens in Russia about Moscow’s military service law?

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Men applying for long-term Russian residency must agree to serve a year in the armed forces, consulate says in an unusual notice

Men applying for long-term Russian residency must agree to serve a year in the armed forces, consulate says in an unusual notice