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EU warns of ‘deterioration of fundamental freedoms’ in China during human rights talks
Brussels cites ‘interference’ in Dalai Lama succession plan and jailed Uygur and Tibetan activists as examples of erosion of freedoms
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Finbarr Berminghamin Brussels
During thorny human rights talks with China on Friday, the European Union voiced concerns about what it called a “deterioration of fundamental freedoms” in the country.
The EU cited “government interference” in the succession plan for the Dalai Lama, an ongoing crackdown in Hong Kong, and jailed Uygur and Tibetan activists as examples in its statement on the 40th edition of the EU-China Human Rights Dialogue in Brussels.
The bloc accused China of “persistent restrictions on freedom of expression, religion or belief, peaceful assembly, and the right to equality and non-discrimination”.
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The bloc also called attention to what it said was an “erosion of the rule of law, due process rights violations and the lack of judicial independence” as well as the “use of forced labour and labour transfer programmes”.
Beijing rejected the accusations on Saturday.
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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that during the dialogue, China introduced its concept of human rights and pointed to problems in EU countries.
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