Former PSD Prime Ministers Adrian Năstase and Viorica Dăncilă explained, on Wednesday, their presence in Beijing, where they attended the grandiose parade and where they were photographed alongside leaders such as Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un, and Xi Jinping.
Therefore, Năstase stated that he went to China as a former dignitary and as a private individual.
"At today's event, I participated as a former dignitary and therefore as a private individual. I did not intend in any way to represent the current political leadership. I believe that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs misunderstood, the event took place in Beijing and not in Moscow.
No matter how much influence I have in China, I do not think I can decide who President Xi invites to his country. Just as I cannot decide who President Trump invites to Alaska. Someday, I will have to explain more extensively about the importance of memory in foreign policy," wrote Adrian Năstase on his blog.
Dăncilă, honored by the invitation
In turn, in an interview for Observator, Viorica Dăncilă stated that her visit to China was private, not on behalf of a Romanian state institution. Additionally, Dăncilă also mentioned that she feels honored to have been invited by Xi Jinping to the military parade.
"I was invited by President Xi Jinping to participate in commemorating those 80 years since the end of the war against Japanese aggression and fascism. And then again by President Xi Jinping, I was invited to a reception. I consider it very important, it is very important to me, because I was invited here, where there were many former prime ministers from Europe, there were many personalities, and I believe it is an important step in Romania-China friendship.
The photograph was a group photo. There can be no talk of any association. I did not speak with Vladimir Putin, I did not speak with anyone. The only interaction was with President Xi Jinping and his wife.
I cannot represent Romania because I do not hold any position in Romania to have this representation on behalf of the country. I am in my personal capacity, it is an invitation in my capacity as a former prime minister and a person who had good relations both with China and the United States and with other states in the world. I believe the approach is somewhat wrong because I think we need to have relationships based on development with all powerful states in the world. We cannot isolate ourselves when we see so much happening externally. I said I came at the invitation of President Xi Jinping, I am honored by the invitation of the President of China, of course, I was pleased to attend this event," stated Viorica Dăncilă for Observator.
The Chinese Embassy thanks them
The Chinese Embassy in Bucharest thanked former Prime Ministers Adrian Năstase and Viorica Dăncilă for participating in the ceremonies organized in Beijing to celebrate 80 years since the end of the Second World War.
"Thanks to the former Prime Ministers of Romania, Mr. Adrian Năstase and Mrs. Viorica Dăncilă, for participating in this highly significant event, namely the commemoration of 80 years since the victory of the Chinese people in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the victory in the Second Antifascist World War," according to a message posted on the Facebook page.
Also, on the Facebook page of the diplomatic representation, there is a picture with the two former prime ministers.
Former Prime Ministers Viorica Dăncilă and Adrian Năstase - the latter accompanied by his wife - appear in the official photos taken in Beijing, where a military parade took place on Wednesday to mark the end of the Second World War.
The grand event organized by Chinese President Xi Jinping was attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
In one of the photos, Dăncilă and the Năstase couple appear behind Xi, Putin, and Kim.