(TibetanReview.net, Mar17’21) – China has on Mar 16 warned the European Union that any human rights sanctions on Beijing would be “confrontational” ahead of the former’s debate on sanctions on four Chinese officials and one entity over human rights abuses against China’s Uighur Muslim minority in Xinjiang, reported the AFP Mar 16.
The report said travel bans and asset freezes were set to be introduced by the bloc on Mar 22.
The report said China’s ambassador to the EU, Zhang Ming, had condemned the idea of sanctions during an online discussion organised by the European Policy Centre in Brussels.
“We want, we need, we want dialogue, not confrontation,” Zhang was quoted as saying.
“Sanctions based on lies could be interpreted as a deliberate attack on China’s security and development,” he has said. “It is the responsibility of the Chinese government to protect the security and welfare of the people in China.”
The scmp.com Mar 17 saw the Chinese warning as a threat to impose retaliatory sanctions.
The report said the measures will be submitted to EU foreign ministers for approval next week when they meet to prepare for the EU summit on Mar 25-26 to decide the bloc’s strategy towards China.
Sanctions must be unanimously approved before they can be adopted, the report noted.
