China sanctions UK lawmakers and entities in retaliation for Xinjiang measures

China sanctions UK lawmakers and entities in retaliation for Xinjiang measures

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In a statement on Friday, China’s Foreign Ministry said the UK “has imposed unilateral sanctions on relevant Chinese individuals and entities, citing so-called human rights issues in Xinjiang”.

“This movement, based on nothing but lies and misinformation, grossly violates international law and the basic norms that govern international relations, grossly interferes with China’s internal affairs and seriously undermines China-UK relations.”

Those sanctioned include five members of Parliament – Tom Tugendhat, Iain Duncan Smith, Neil O’Brien, Tim Loughton and Nusrat Ghani – and two members of the House of Lords, David Alton and Helena Kennedy, as well as academic Joanne Smith Finley and the lawyer Geoffrey Nice.

Four entities were also nominated by Beijing: the China Research Group, the Conservative Party’s Human Rights Commission, the Uyghur Tribunal and Essex Court Chambers, a leading London law firm.

“China is firmly determined to safeguard its national sovereignty, security and development interests, and warns the United Kingdom not to go any further in the wrong direction,” said the Chinese Foreign Ministry. “Otherwise, China will resolutely react further.”

In response, British Foreign Minister Dominic Raab said he “speaks volumes that while the UK joins the international community to punish those responsible for human rights abuses, the Chinese government sanctions its critics”.

“If Beijing wants to credibly refute allegations of human rights abuses in Xinjiang, it must allow the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights full access to verify the truth,” he said in a statement.

The individuals concerned and their immediate family members are prohibited from entering mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau. Their properties in China will be frozen and Chinese citizens and institutions will be banned from doing business with them, according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The UK ambassador to China was also summoned by Beijing to present what he described as “solemn representations, expressing strong opposition and strong condemnation”.

Although relations between Beijing and London suffered as a result of the ongoing crackdown in Hong Kong, which the UK suggested violating a historic deal with China, the new sanctions could take them to new lows.

It is certainly a striking contrast from just five years ago, when then-British Prime Minister David Cameron shared a beer with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a visit to the United Kingdom that was to start a “new golden age” in relations between the two . nations.

‘Will not be silenced’

Reacting to the news on Twitter, Iain Duncan Smith, a congressman and former leader of the Conservative Party, said the sanctions against him were a “medal of honor”.

“It is our duty to denounce the abuse of human rights by the Chinese (of the government) in Hong Kong (and) the genocide of the Uighurs,” wrote Duncan Smith. “Those of us who live free lives under the rule of law must speak for those who have no voice.”

Smith Finley, the British scholar, said she was punished “for speaking the truth” about Xinjiang “and for having a conscience”.

“I do not regret speaking openly and I will not be silenced,” she tweeted.

The measures come after the United Kingdom, in coordination with the European Union, Canada and the United States, announced new sanctions on Monday against Xinjiang, targeting those responsible for the repression there.

“These actions demonstrate our continued commitment to work multilaterally to advance respect for human rights and enlighten the members of the (Chinese) government and (Communist Party) responsible for these atrocities,” said the United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, after the move.

China responded almost immediately with fines in kind, announcing sanctions against ten EU politicians and four entities – an aggressive move that questioned Beijing’s relationship with Brussels.

Speaking on Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said that “for a long time, the US and the West have rampantly interfered in other countries’ internal affairs using democracy and human rights as an excuse” .

In a statement, however, David Sassoli, president of the European Parliament, said that China’s sanction of members of the European Parliament is “unacceptable and will have consequences”.

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