European Union (EU) ambassadors agreed on Wednesday to issue sanctions against Chinese authorities for alleged human rights violations against the Chinese Uighur population, several media reported.
Two diplomats told Reuters that ambassadors supported travel bans and asset freezes for four individuals and one entity.
The names of the people and entities being sanctioned will not be released until the EU gives its final approval to a list of sanctions against people and entities in six countries, several diplomats told Politico. The EU should consider the sanction package on 22 March.
“Restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses have been adopted,” an EU diplomat told Reuters.
The action against China comes at a time when the country faces scrutiny for its treatment of the Uighur Muslim minority. Experts say at least 1 million are being detained in the Xinjiang region. The Netherlands, Canada and the United States have classified China’s conduct as genocide.
But China rejects the label and repeatedly denies accusations of mistreatment of the population, claiming that detention camps are being used to combat religious extremism.
The Chinese EU mission responded to the reports by resending its ambassador to the EU, Zhang Ming, in Tuesday’s comments, asking the bloc to reconsider.
“The sanctions are conflicting,” said the Chinese mission on Twitter. “We want dialogue, not confrontation. We ask the EU side to think twice. If some insist on confrontation, we will not back down, because we have no other option but to fulfill our responsibilities to the people ”.