(TibetanReview.net, Oct09’26) – The European Parliament has on Oct 7 adopted a set of policy recommendations on EU-China political relations drafted by its Committee on Foreign Affairs which among numerous other things strongly condemns China’s intensifying campaign of mandatory “Sinicisation” and forced assimilation in Tibet. China’s official media on Oct 8 severely condemned the report and warned of dire consequences, but with focus on the report’s labelling of the country’s industrial policy as an “existential threat” to the EU’s industrial base and as a “decisive enabler” of Russia in its Ukraine war.
The European Parliament report – which is a set of Recommendation for the European Council, the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on EU-China political relations – demands a stronger and principled EU-China policy that combines dialogue with more protection of European interests. The MEPs have called for urgent action against the weaponisation of EU’s economic overreliance on China, alongside a rigorous de-risking strategy focused on critical raw materials, medicines, batteries, electric vehicles, information and communication technology, semiconductors and other strategic sectors.
The MEPs have also demanded reciprocity and a level playing field in trade and investment and expressed support for proportionate EU action where China fails to open its internal markets. It also calls for stronger Global Gatewaypartnerships providing a credible alternative to China’s belt and road initiative, particularly in Africa and Latin America. The report reaffirms the EU’s One China policy while opposing any unilateral change to the status quo in Taiwan by force or coercion.
The MEPs have not only called for stronger resilience against cyberattacks, foreign interference, espionage and hybrid threats, but also demanded reinforced human rights dialogue and pressure on China over repression, forced labour and policies in Tibet and Xinjiang.
In particular, the Parliament has expressed deep concern over China’s adoption of the Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress, which came into force on Jul 1, 2026, and its potential to further institutionalise assimilationist policies. They have also called for unconditional release of political prisoners.
In specific terms, the European Parliament has criticised Beijing’s calculated political manoeuvres to control the succession and reincarnation of the Dalai Lama, emphasising that protecting religious autonomy is non-negotiable.
The MEPs have also demanded immediate information regarding the whereabouts of Tibet’s decades-long missing religious leader Panchen Lama Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, whom Beijing replaced with Gyaltsen Norbu back in 1995.
To counter China’s expanding reach of transnational repression, the report urges the EU to consistently raise these human rights concerns at every political meeting with Chinese counterparts.
Beyond economic diplomacy, the European Parliament insists that the protection of minority rights must become a central, binding element of future EU-China relations.
The report also calls for the immediate closure of all illegal, undercover “Chinese overseas police stations” operating within EU member states.
China condemned the report, saying it risks harming the foundation of China-European Union relations and warned of dire consequences. The European Parliament report overlooks the fact that China and the EU have no fundamental conflicts of interest or geopolitical contradictions; nevertheless, it is advocating a confrontational approach, including a continuous European naval “presence” in and around the Taiwan Strait, said a chinadaily.com.cn editorial piece Oct 8.
It accused the European Parliament of “mistaking a partner for a rival — a misjudgment whose cost would be enormous for either side.”