So he responded to the request of the TV presenter to formulate a position whether Crimea is part of Ukraine.

"There is a story. Crimea was originally Russian. Khrushchev gave Crimea to Ukraine during the Soviet Union, "RIA Novosti quoted the diplomat as saying.

To the host's objection that the peninsula is part of Ukraine under international law, Liu Shaye noted that the countries of the former USSR do not have an effective status in international law.

Crimea became a Russian region after a referendum held there in March 2014: the majority of residents voted in favor of reunification with Russia.

State Duma deputy from Sevastopol Dmitry Belik called the words of the Chinese ambassador to France, Liu Shaye, about the Crimea a cold shower for Western countries.