Advertisement
Xinjiang
ChinaDiplomacy

EU rejects China’s offer of Xinjiang tour, but says it’s open to one later

  • EU says China’s foreign ministry made the invitation on Thursday for a trip that would start this Wednesday
  • A visit would be the first by a large group of Western diplomats to the area since Beijing’s security clampdown drew international condemnation

Reading Time:3 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
16
In this November 5, 2017, photo, residents watch a convoy of security personnel armed with batons and shields patrol through central Kashgar in China's Xinjiang region. The EU said it had rejected an offer last week by China’s foreign ministry to escort a tour of diplomats in Xinjiang starting Wednesday, but added that it remained open to an invitation at a later time. Photo: AP
Kinling Loin Beijing

The European Union and its member countries rejected an invitation by China last week to a visit to Xinjiang, but said they remain open to a trip to the region where Beijing has come under international condemnation for the detention camps it operates there.

Advertisement

The Delegation of the EU to China – the office representing 28 European powers in Beijing – said the Chinese foreign ministry invited them and their member countries’ embassies on a three-day trip “at the ambassador level” starting Wednesday, March 27, to Xinjiang in China’s far west.

“While the EU and EU member states in principle welcome the invitation, such a visit requires careful preparation in order to be meaningful,” a delegation spokesman said on Monday.

“Discussions to this end are ongoing, hence the proposed trip will not take place this week. The EU remains open to a future visit, taking into account our expectations,” the spokesman added.

A diplomatic source from an EU member state told the South China Morning Post that the states would not take individual actions on this matter, and would instead wait for “EU coordination” for a “collective decision”.

Advertisement
Advertisement