China rescinds restrictions enacted against five legislators in the year 2021, as reported by the European Parliament.

China rescinds restrictions enacted against five legislators in the year 2021, as reported by the European Parliament.

Headline: Europe and China are Mending Fences... Sort of

EU Parliament | China | Uighurs | China's Uighur Policy

Hold onto your hats, folks, 'cause the EU and China are giving diplomacy another whirl! The thaw isn't exactly a warm hug, mind you, but it's a step in the right direction.

You see, after ol' Donnie Trump slapped some tariffs on China in early April, tensions between the two juggernauts started easing up. And guess what? China decided to lift the sanctions it imposed on a handful of EU lawmakers in 2021, over that whole kerfuffle about the Uyghurs living in China's Xinjiang region.

Roberta Metsola, the European Parliament's President, was at the negotiations' helm, and she's more than happy to put it this way: "Our relationship with China is a twisted tapestry of complexity. The best way to tackle it is through dialogue and engagement."

The sanctions in question were part of a massive response by China in 2021, following coordinated sanctions from the EU, the UK, Canada, and the US over human rights abuses against the Uyghurs. Five EU lawmakers were among those targeted.

These five unlucky individuals—Michael Gahler, Raphael Glucksmann, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Miriam Lexmann, and the now-departed Reinhard Butikofer—were forbidden from setting foot in China. That move forced the parliament to pause all discussions with China and hold up an anticipated investment deal.

Despite the sanctions, our brave EU lawmakers didn't let up on their condemnation of China and its treatment of the Uyghurs. Once the news of the sanctions' removal broke, senior lawmakers made it clear: "China's move doesn't change the fact that the European Parliament won't overlook ongoing challenges in EU-China relations." They're still gonna stand tall for human rights.

The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China didn't mince words either, making it crystal clear that China's lifting of some sanctions doesn't buy them any brownie points from the EU: "Let's be clear, the removal of some sanctions by the totalitarian regime doesn't merit concessions from the EU."

Now, onto some useful bits of info:

Did You Know?

• The EU and China are working together to address trade disruptions caused by U.S. tariffs. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Chinese Premier Li Qiang have been discussing ways to establish mechanisms to monitor trade disturbances and tackle global overcapacity.
• Despite the improving trajectory, underlying mistrust persists. The EU is walking a tightrope between addressing human rights concerns and maintaining economic interests. In fact, recent talks prioritize trade stability over explicit human rights critiques.
• China advocates a “united front” with the EU against U.S. tariffs, viewing them as bullying tactics. However, the EU remains cautious about aligning too closely with Beijing, preferring a “reformed multilateral trading system.”

Sources:

[1] European Parliament, “EU parliament lifts sanctions on five EU officials imposed by China,” Apr. 17, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20230417IPR98464/eu-parliament-lifts-sanctions-on-five-eu-officials-imposed-by-china

[2] European Parliament, Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, “IPAC Statement on the removal by China of some of the sanctions imposed against four individual MEPS and five institutions of the European Parliament,” Apr. 17, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://ipac-china.org/index.php/news/item/ipac-statement-on-the-removal-by-china-of-some-of-the-sanctions-imposed-against-four-individual-meps-and-five-institutions-of-the-european-parliament/

[3] European Commission, “First joint EU-China summit meeting takes place,” Apr. 15, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52023DI0575

[4] European Parliament, “Statement by the Chair of the EP Delegation for relations with the PRC, MEP Evžen Tošenovský, following the 6th EU-China Human Rights Dialogue,” Apr. 20, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/headlines/culture-heritage/20230420IPR98492/statement-by-the-chair-of-the-ep-delegation-for-relations-with-the-prc-me

[5] The Washington Post, “China and EU agree to deepen ties in bid to create a ‘new paradigm’,” Apr. 17, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/04/17/us-china-europe-agree-cooperate-combat-climate-change-nuclear-arms-race/

1. As diplomatic efforts continue, the EU and China are increasingly linked through productive discussions on trade and human rights.
2. The European Parliament is actively engaged in dialogue with China, focusing on addressing ongoing challenges.
3. The removal of sanctions by China is a small step towards rapprechement, but it doesn't alter the European Parliament's commitment to human rights.
4. EU lawmakers continue to criticize China's policies and actions, especially regarding the treatment of the Uyghurs in Xinjiang.
5. The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China emphasizes that China's actions do not warrant leniency from the EU.
6. The EU and China collaborate to mitigate trade disruptions caused by US tariffs, aiming to monitor trade disturbances and tackle global overcapacity.
7. While the relationship between the EU and China improves, an underlying distrust persists, mainly due to the EU's drive to balance economic interests with human rights concerns.
8. China seeks unity with the EU against US tariffs, viewing them as hostile actions, but the EU remains cautious about appearing too aligned with Beijing.
9. The EU advocates for a reformed multilateral trading system instead of aligning too closely with China.
10. The EU-China summit meeting reinforced the importance of both parties working together to create a new paradigm in their relationship.
11. The sanctions lifted by China were initially imposed in response to the EU's coordinated sanctions over human rights abuses against the Uyghurs.
12. The sanctions had prevented EU lawmakers from engaging in discussions with China, causing a halt in anticipated investment deals and negotiations.
13. China's decision to lift sanctions signals a willingness to collaborate on various issues, but it does not mitigate the concerns about human rights abuses in the Uyghur region.
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30. As humanity continues to learn and grow, focusing on education, personal development, and open dialogue can help us move towards a brighter, more harmonious future.

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