Revenge, China Imposes Sanctions On The EU Along With Officials And Their Families

Rallies in support of Uighurs. (Wikimedia Commons/Malcolm Brown)

JAKARTA - The European Union imposed sanctions on Monday against four Chinese officials, including the top security director, for human rights abuses in Xinjiang, to which Beijing responded with its own sanctions against Europeans.

As reported by Reuters, the European Union called the mass detention followed by humiliating treatment of Uighur Muslims a serious violation of human rights (HAM). As well as systematic violations of freedom of religion or belief.

China denies human rights abuses in Xinjiang and says its camps provide vocational training and are necessary to fight extremism.

"This measure (of sanctions), based solely on lies and disinformation, ignores and distorts the facts, deeply interferes with China's domestic affairs, flagrantly violates international law and basic norms governing international relations. And, severely damages China-EU relations," he said. China's Foreign Ministry shortly after the announcement of EU sanctions, as reported by Euro News.

Those sanctioned by China consist of ten European individuals and four entities, including five members of the European Parliament, Reinhard Butikofer (Germany, Green Party), who currently chairs the parliamentary delegation on relations with China; Michael Gahler (Germany, EPP), acting as spokesman for the European People's Party (EPP) on foreign affairs; Raphaël Glucksmann (France, S & D), who chairs a special parliamentary committee on foreign interference in the democratic process; and Ilhan Kyuchyuk (Bulgaria, Renew Europe) and Miriam Lexmann (Slovakia, EPP) who are both members of the foreign affairs committee.

Three members of the national parliament were also sanctioned, Sjoerd Wiemer Sjoerdsma from the Dutch Parliament, Samuel Cogolati from the Belgian Federal Parliament, and Dovile Sakaliene from Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania. They all have something in common, leading to a resolution that describes the situation in Xinjiang as genocide.

Also mentioned were scientists Adrian Zenz, from Germany, and Björn Jerdén, from Sweden, who specialize in Chinese studies on the list of sanctioned recipients.

Meanwhile, the European entities targeted for Chinese sanctions are; The Political and Security Committee of the Council of the European Union, the Human Rights Subcommittee of the European Parliament, the Mercator Institute for China Studies in Germany, and the Alliance of Democracies Foundation in Denmark.

"The persons concerned and their families are prohibited from entering mainland, Hong Kong, and Macau in China. They and the companies and institutions associated with them are also prohibited from doing business with China," the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Barred from entering China or doing business with it, Beijing accuses them of seriously harming the country's sovereignty and interests over Xinjiang. China's Foreign Ministry urged the European Union to correct its mistakes and not interfere in China's domestic affairs.

“As long as human rights are violated, I cannot remain silent. These sanctions prove that China is sensitive to pressure. Let this be an encouragement to all my European colleagues. Speak up! " wrote Dutch lawmaker Sjoerd Sjoerdsma, who was added to the Chinese sanctions list on his Twitter account.

As long as China commits genocide on the Uyghurs, I will not remain silent.

These sanctions are proof that China is susceptible to outside pressure. I hope my European colleagues will seize this moment to speak out as well.https://t.co/M3fU6LdTwX

— Sjoerd Wiemer Sjoerdsma (@swsjoerdsma) March 22, 2021