Debate: Chinese countersanctions on EU entities and MEPs and MPs
Date: WEDNESDAY, 28 APRIL 2021
Speaker: Josep Borrell Fontelles
Language: EN

On 22 March, the European Union took the important decision to make greater use of the European Union global human rights sanction regime to address serious human rights violations around the world. The package of measures adopted included the listing of four individuals and one entity from China who are directly responsible for human rights violations.  This is a premier. This is something that has never happened before. Not only persons, but entities. This was consistent with our long-standing concerns about the situation in Xinjiang, which we have been stressing continuously in this House, and the European Union has repeatedly raised in meetings with its Chinese counterparts everywhere, even in the United Nations.  But then came China’s retaliatory measures, which are of a different character. As I mentioned immediately after the Foreign Affairs Council on 22 March, they targeted 10 European individuals and four entities for participating in European Union decision-making processes or for having expressed their opinion and promoted human rights and fundamental freedoms – legitimately, through democratic institutions and organisations. Maybe it is difficult for the Chinese to understand what it means for a parliamentarian to be free to express their opinions, even if they are strongly critical of anything at all – even of me. So once again, I wish to express my full solidarity with the Members of this Parliament, with the Subcommittee on Human Rights, and with all other individuals and entities affected by the Chinese retaliatory measures, namely the Political and Security Committee of the Council, members of national parliaments, as well as Swedish and German academics, and think tanks in Germany and Denmark. These are wide sanctions on thinkers for thinking and freely expressing their thinking. It is not for doing; it is just for thinking and expressing thoughts. We have firmly expressed our dissent to our Chinese counterparts, both in Brussels and other European Union capitals, and we will continue to do so for as long as these measures are in place. We will do this in the framework of the European Union’s strategic approach to China. Because we also have to engage with China. We have to continue engaging with China to advance on issues of common interest, while at the same time standing firm on our values. Although there are growing challenges in our relations, I think this multifaceted approach remains valid. Incidentally, I’m happy to see that our American friends are using exactly the same approach to deal with China. We will keep engaging with China in this way, which is our own way, because China is a key economic and political player with whom continued engagement is needed. Without China global challenges cannot be addressed effectively, from tackling climate change and the pandemic to the coup in Myanmar, the Iran nuclear deal and the global balance of power. So yes, we have to engage with China, but keep in mind that, on the other hand, there is systemic rivalry because our systems are different and sometimes relations turn difficult, as happened last month. I think this is going to be an important debate in Parliament on relations with China. The European Union Council will take care of this relationship. We remain vigilant, trying to maintain this engagement – which we cannot avoid – while, at the same time, being firm in the defence of our values.