BEIJING, MARCH 22 (Xinhua) – China on Sunday announced sanctions against ten individuals and four entities on the EU side, saying they had seriously damaged China’s sovereignty and interests and spread lies and misinformation.
The European Union (EU) imposed unilateral sanctions on relevant Chinese individuals and entities on March 22, referring to the so-called human rights issues in Xinjiang, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said.
The spokesman said that this move, based on nothing but lies and misinformation, ignores and distorts facts, grossly disrupts China’s internal affairs, clearly violates international law and basic standards of international relations, and seriously undermines China and EU relations.
“China strongly opposes and strongly condemns this,” the spokesman said, adding that the Chinese government is determined to protect national sovereignty, security and development interests.
According to the spokesman, the individuals and entities to be sanctioned are Reinhard Butikofer, Michael Gahler, Raphael Glucksmann, Ilhan Kyuchyuk and Miriam Lexmann from the European Parliament, Sjoerd Wiemer Sjoerdsma from the Dutch Parliament, Samuel Cogolati from the Belgian Federal Parliament, Dovile Sakaliene from Seimas, Republika Srp. German researcher Adrian Zenz, Swedish researcher Björn Jerden, Political and Security Committee of the Council of the European Union, Subcommittee on Human Rights in the European Parliament, Mercator Institute for China Studies in Germany, and Alliance of Democracies Foundation in Denmark.
The individuals concerned and their families are prohibited from entering the mainland, Hong Kong and Macao in China, the spokesman said, adding that they and companies and institutions associated with them are also restricted from doing business with China.
“The Chinese side urges the EU side to reflect on itself, face the seriousness of its mistake and correct it,” the spokesman said, urging the EU side to stop lecturing others on human rights and interfering in their internal affairs.
The EU side must end the hypocritical practice of double standards and stop going the wrong way, the spokesman added.
“Otherwise, China will resolutely respond further,” the spokesman said.
Source: sn.dk