China lifts sanctions against several MEPs amid rapprochement efforts
Five MEPs were among those sanctioned by China in 2021.
BRUSSELS – China has lifted sanctions on five EU parliamentarians after signaling interest in closer economic and political ties with Europe.
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola informed political group leaders during a closed-door meeting of the decision of the Chinese authorities on Wednesday.
Beijing had initially imposed its sanctions in 2021 on 10 EU individuals and four entities, including five MEPs and the Parliament’s human rights subcommittee, in response to Western measures against Chinese officials who had been accused of human rights violations against Muslim Uyghurs.
As a result, the Parliament had halted all official dialogue with China.
The EU lawmakers in question were German Michael Gahler (EPP) and former Reinhard Bütikofer (Greens), Frenchman Raphaël Glucksmann (S&D), Bulgarian Ilhan Kyuchyuk (Renew Europe) and Slovak Miriam Lexmann (EPP). All had been targeted due to their work on EU-China relations and foreign interference.
The Parliament’s political leaders “reiterated that the lifting of sanctions does not mean the European Parliament will overlook persistent challenges in EU-China relations” and “remain a strong defender of universal human rights”, they said in a statement.
Lexmann described the sanctions as “baseless from the outset”, adding that their removal “does not constitute a favour that warrants concessions from the European Union.”
The lifiting of sanctions does not change the “reality” that “the totalitarian regime of [China] represents a threat,” she added.
Back in 2021, a sanctions tit-for-tat between Brussels and Beijing had resulted in the Parliament suspending the ratification of the EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI).
Since US President Donald Trump’s return to the White House in January, however, Beijing has made efforts to woo European officials to return to closer political and economic cooperation, EU diplomats say, despite a current stand-off over unfair trade practices.
EU leaders are expected to travel to Beijing for a summit with Chinese premier Xi Jinping in late July.
(om)
