China faces EU criticism over treatment of Uygurs, other minorities as human rights talks resume

Name: Fang Bin is second Chinese citizen journalist to vanish while reporting from coronavirus epicentre
Uploaded: 2023-02-17T21:53:59.000Z
Duration: 3 min 24 s
Description: Fang Bin is second Chinese citizen journalist to vanish while reporting from coronavirus epicentre

The EU has sanctioned Chinese officials for the treatment of minorities in Xinjiang, which the United Nations says may constitute ‘crimes against humanity’

European officials also criticise the ‘deterioration in the situation of freedom of peaceful assembly and association, and freedom of expression in Hong Kong’

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EU leaders and others, including those at a vigil in London on February 13, are stepping up their criticism of China for its treatment of Uygurs and other suspected human rights violations. Photo: AFP

Finbarr Berminghamin Brussels

Published: 5:53am, 18 Feb 2023Updated: 6:17am, 18 Feb 2023

The European Union denounced China’s treatment of Uygurs in Xinjiang, Tibetans, and other religious, ethnic and linguistic minorities during resumed human rights talks in Brussels on Friday.

European officials also criticised the “deterioration in the situation of freedom of peaceful assembly and association, and freedom of expression in Hong Kong”, according to an EU account of the meeting.

Beijing has not issued its own version of events, but according to the EU, it “focused on the situation and treatment of refugees and migrants in the EU and manifestations of racism and xenophobia in the EU”.

It was the first dialogue of this sort since 2019, with subsequent human rights meetings delayed by first Covid-19, and then fallout over EU sanctions on Chinese government officials for the treatment of minorities in Xinjiang, which the United Nations said could constitute “crimes against humanity”.

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Fang Bin is second Chinese citizen journalist to vanish while reporting from coronavirus epicentre

Brussels, referring to the UN report, urged Beijing to “urgently” implement the body’s guidelines in Xinjiang, where some European parliaments and the United States government have accused it of committing genocide.