China’s foreign minister says EU parliament is wrong to tie investment deal to Xinjiang
- ‘Attempts … to link up issues of different nature and turn trade issues into political ones are not acceptable,’ Wang Yi tells Munich Security Conference
- Parliament voted to halt consideration of Comprehensive Agreement on Investment until China drops sanctions against EU officials
Speaking at a teleconference talk hosted by the Munich Security Conference, Foreign Minister Wang Yi gave his first public reaction to the European Parliament’s passage last week of a motion halting its ratification process of the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI).
When those EU sanctions were launched, the Chinese people were reminded of the days when we were bullied by European imperialists
“The investment agreement is not a one-sided favour, the Xinjiang-related issue bears on China’s sovereignty and security,” he said.
“Attempts by some in the EU to link up issues of different nature and turn trade issues into political ones are not acceptable and will lead nowhere.”
During his remarks, Wang also noted that China issued those sanctions in response to the EU’s decision to sanction four Chinese officials for their role in a crackdown on Muslim ethnic minorities in Xinjiang, saying that the EU move “shocked” Beijing.