En En Motion for a Resolution

European Parliament 2019-2024 Plenary sitting B9-0273/2021 12.5.2021 MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION to wind up the debate on the statement by the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy pursuant to Rule 132(2) of the Rules of Procedure on Chinese countersanctions on EU entities and MEPs and MPs (2021/2644(RSP)) Hilde Vautmans, Abir Al-Sahlani, Malik Azmani, Engin Eroglu, Bernard Guetta, Moritz Körner, Nathalie Loiseau, Javier Nart, Nicolae Ştefănuță, Marie-Pierre Vedrenne, Emma Wiesner on behalf of the Renew Group RE\1231431EN.docx PE692.540v01-00 EN United in diversityEN B9-0273/2021 European Parliament resolution on Chinese countersanctions on EU entities and MEPs and MPs (2021/2644(RSP)) The European Parliament, – having regard to the exchange of letters dated 31 March and 6 April 2021 between Ambassador Zhang Ming, Head of the Mission of the People’s Republic of China to the European Union, and Mr Lorenzo Mannelli, Head of the Cabinet of President Sassoli, on the sanctions against Members of the European Parliament, – having regard to the statement of 22 March 2021 by the Foreign Ministry Spokesperson of the People’s Republic of China announcing sanctions against relevant EU entities and personnel, – having regard to Council Decision (CFSP) 2021/481 of 22 March 2021 amending Decision (CFSP) 2020/1999 concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses1, – having regard to its resolution of 21 January 2021 on the crackdown on the democratic opposition in Hong Kong2, – having regard to its resolution of 20 January 2021 on the implementation of the Common Foreign and Security Policy – annual report 20203, – having regard to its resolution of 17 December 2020 on forced labour and the situation of the Uyghurs in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region4, – having regard to its resolution of 19 December 2019 on the situation of the Uyghurs in China5, – having regard to the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, – having regard to Article 6 on Genocide and Article 7 on Crimes Against Humanity of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, – having regard to Rule 132(2) of its Rules of Procedure, A. whereas the EU sanctioned four Chinese individuals and one company for their role in 1 OJ L 99, 22.3.2021, p. 25. 2 Texts adopted, P9_TA(2021)0027. 3 Texts adopted, P9_TA(2021)0012. 4 Texts adopted, P9_TA(2020)0375. 5 Texts adopted, P9_TA(2019)0110. PE692.540v01-00 2/5 RE\1231431EN.docx EN Uyghur repression in Xinjiang; B. whereas China responded with a longer sanctions list targeting ten individuals, including four Members of the European Parliament, the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights, the Mercator Institute for China Studies, Denmark’s Alliance of Democracies Foundation and the European Council’s Political And Security Committee, comprising EU ambassadors from all 27 Member States, prohibiting them and their families from entering mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, and banning them, and companies and institutions associated with them, from doing business with China; C. whereas the repression of the political opposition in Hong Kong has worsened since the adoption of Parliament’s resolution of 21 January 2021 on the crackdown on the democratic opposition in Hong Kong, which saw 47 pro-democracy activists charged and put on trial for last year’s democratic primaries under the National Security Law, the sentencing of four pro-democracy activists for attending the 4 June vigil to mark the Tiananmen Square massacre, charges laid against Andy Li under the National Security Law after a period of incommunicado detention, and changes to Hong Kong’s electoral system which further restrict the space for political opposition within the Hong Kong Legislative Council; D. whereas ten EU Member States still have active extradition treaties with China, whereby Uyghurs, citizens of Hong Kong, Tibetans and Chinese dissidents in Europe can be extradited to stand political trial in China; E. whereas at its meeting of 24 October 2019, the Conference of Presidents decided to award the 2019 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to Ilham Tohti, a renowned Uyghur economics professor advocating for the rights of China’s Uyghur minority; F. whereas through its strong economic growth and ambitious foreign policy agenda, China’s methods of asserting a stronger global role as both an economic power and a foreign policy actor not only violate international law and pose a security dilemma, but also have serious political implications as they threaten liberal democracy; G. whereas China has a track record of human rights violations that eschew the country’s bilateral and multilateral commitments in these areas; H. whereas two major independent legal analyses conducted by the Newlines Institute and Essex Court Chambers have concluded that there is a credible case that Uyghurs are victims of crimes against humanity and genocide; whereas the US State Department and the Parliaments of Canada, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom have declared Uyghurs to be victims of crimes against humanity and genocide; I. whereas the EU’s existing China strategy has revealed its limitations in the light of recent developments and the challenges posed by China; J. Notes that this resolution is not driven by anti-China sentiment, but rather by a collective interest in defending and upholding internationally recognised standards on human rights; RE\1231431EN.docx 3/5 PE692.540v01-00 EN K. whereas H&M, among other Western companies, has been the subject of an extensive and widespread boycott after issuing a statement expressing deep concerns about the reports of forced labour in Xinjiang and stating that the company had therefore stopped buying cotton from the region; L. whereas Chinese authorities are accusing journalists in the Member States of spreading lies and propaganda when reporting on Chinese matters, which poses a particularly serious threat to the freedom of the press and freedom of speech in the EU; 1. Condemns the Chinese authorities’ decision to introduce unjustified sanctions against Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), European Members of Parliament (MPs) and European think tanks; stresses that in imposing these countersanctions, the Chinese authorities are targeting European democracy; expresses its solidarity with all the entities, MEPs and MPs targeted by the Chinese authorities; 2. Urges the Chinese authorities to reconsider and lift their unjustified retaliatory measures; 3. Reiterates that Parliament will not be intimidated by China’s aggressive acts and will continue to defend human rights; calls on the Presidents of the Council and the Commission President to come out with a clear statement that the countersanctions against elected politicians are an attempt to undermine our democracy and will not be tolerated; 4. Reiterates the calls made in its resolution of 21 January 2021 on the crackdown on the democratic opposition in Hong Kong for Member States to suspend their extradition treaties with China if they cannot provide sufficient legal protection, so as to prevent the extradition of, for example, Uyghurs, citizens of Hong Kong, Tibetans and Chinese dissidents in Europe to stand political trial in China; 5. Reiterates its call on the Member States to introduce targeted sanctions against individuals responsible for the Hong Kong repression under the EU human rights sanctions regime with the objective of restoring civil and political rights; 6. Calls on the Council, the Commission and the Member States to reinforce the EU’s call for the UN to carry out legal investigations into the alleged genocide and crimes against humanity taking place in the Xinjiang region; 7. Recalls that continuing to turn a blind eye to these violations by China would undermine our core values and, as a result, constitute a legitimistic blow to our guiding principles, which define our Union; 8. Calls on the Commission to use the EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI) as a leverage instrument to improve the protection of human rights and support for civil society in China; welcomes and strongly supports the Commission’s clarification that efforts to ratify the EU-China CAI have been suspended; 9. Underlines that so long as the countersanctions have not been lifted and so long as the PE692.540v01-00 4/5 RE\1231431EN.docx EN Chinese authorities have not respected the commitment to ratify the International Labour Organization (ILO) core conventions on forced labour that they made in the EU- China CAI, and before the adoption and implementation by the EU of an assertive trade toolbox, it is unthinkable that Parliament can proceed to a vote of any kind on this agreement; stresses that Parliament also demands concrete measures or steps towards putting an end to other human rights violations against the Uyghur minority in China, as well as a recommitment by China to upholding its international commitments to Hong Kong under the Sino-British Joint Declaration and Hong Kong’s Basic Law; 10. Recognises that, contrary to the EU’s aspirations of ‘change through trade’ as a way of supporting China’s transformation towards an open and democratic society, this strategy has so far been unsuccessful; regrets that the intensification of economic and trade relations between the EU and China has not been accompanied by substantial progress in terms of human rights dialogues and the human

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