The key points
- China and Russia also hit by the new EU sanctions for violating human rights
- Brussels punishes four Chinese officials and one entity for abusing the Uyghur community and Moscow for torturing LGBT and Chechen activists
- Beijing’s retaliation was immediate
Brussels – Tensions worsen between Brussels on the one hand, Beijing and Moscow on the other. The Twenty-seven have decided to apply on March 22 the new sanctioning regime reserved for countries that violate human rights. Six countries were affected, including China and Russia. The first retaliations came immediately from the Chinese government, including against European parliamentarians. Meanwhile, sanctions have also been decided against Myanmar (the former Burma).
Gathered here in Brussels, EU foreign ministers have decided to sanction four Chinese officials and one Chinese entity for abuses against the Uyghur community, of Muslim religion and located in the Xinjiang region. Other sanctions have been decided against Libya, accused of killings and kidnappings; Russia, for torture against LGBT activists and political opponents in Chechnya; South Sudan and Eritrea in the wake of arbitrary executions.
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Beijing’s retaliation
The sanctions – imitated by Washington, London and Ottawa – result in the freezing of all financial assets in Europe and a travel ban to the European Union. The measures, which affect 11 people and four entities in six countries, are based on a new sanctioning regime to combat human rights violations developed at the end of last year along the lines of the American mechanism known as the Magnitsky Act (see Il Sole / 24 Hours of 8 December 2020). China reacted instantly. Since yesterday, Beijing has sanctioned ten EU representatives, including some MEPs: the German green Reinhard Butikofer, the German popular Michael Gahler, the French socialist Raphael Glucksmann, the Bulgarian liberal Ilhan Kyuchyuk and the Slovakian popular Miriam Lexmann.
The Chinese government accused them of “seriously undermining China’s sovereignty and interests by spreading lies and disinformation.” Beijing also sanctioned the European diplomatic body that technically decided the sanctions, namely the Political and Security Committee. Chinese sanctions include a travel ban, including for the families of those targeted. From Brussels, many politicians have criticized the Chinese initiative to take it out on parliamentarians. In a press conference, High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy Josep Borrell called Chinese retaliation “unacceptable”. Even Moscow, already subject to sanctions, did not like the European initiative (see The sun 24 hours of 23 February). The President of the European Council spoke yesterday on the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Michel: the relationship with Russia is “at its lowest”
Charles Michel called relations with Russia “at a minimum”, calling for “an end to cyber attacks” against member states. The High Representative denounced “a drift towards an authoritarian state”, while Moscow described the European attitude as “conflictual”. Some observers wonder whether sanctioning countries that are on the human rights front is compatible with the economic interests of the Union and whether the initiative does not risk turning out to be contradictory or inconsistent.