Renaissance strongly condemns Chinese sanctions against European parliamentarians and academics

The Renaissance delegation expresses its full solidarity with its fellow MEP targeted by "sanctions from China", including Renew Europe MP Ilhan Kyuchyuk. These decisions confirm our belief that Europe should double down on its demand in its relations with a country that only seems to understand power dynamics.

These "Chinese retaliation measures" were announced following yesterday's decision by the EU's Foreign Affairs Council to implement a sanction regime against those responsible for serious human rights violations. We unreservedly welcome this unprecedented decision at the European level.

"Blatant lies on social media, insults against researchers and journalists and now attacks on democratic representatives, China believes it is showing itself strong by attacking the foundations of our democracies. It only reinforces a broad political consensus that this country is not ready to enter into a partnership with Europe on sound bases. We, Members of the European Parliaments will not move forward in the EU-China relationship while being under pressure from the Chinese authorities. Europeans are neither naive nor weak" Stéphane SÉJOURNÉ, President of the Renaissance delegation declared.

"European Union and China politically concluded an investment facilitation agreement in December. Our Parliament cannot and must not accept to ratify an agreement when its members and one of its committees are under sanctions. Unthinkable and unacceptable! China will not silence us. These Chinese measures once again show the need to build our strategic autonomy, to be uncompromising and to act firmly against violations of trade rules and human rights" Marie-Pierre VEDRENNE, Vice-President of the Committee on International Trade (INTA) said

"One after another, dictators are going wild. Because he is loosing his foothold on all fronts, Mr. Putin chose to mistreat the High Representative of the European Union during his visit to Moscow and it is now Mr. Xi who claims to oppose Chinese counter-sanctions against the European sanctions. One forgets all the diplomatic customs; the other confuses the serious violations of human rights and international treaties committed by his regime with the free exercice of the freedoms of opinion and expression by elected officials and European intellectuals. These two dictators reinforce the European Parliament's determination to denounce and punish their crimes and bring the great democracies even closer in their common fight for freedoms. Because they panic, these dictators are shooting themselves in the foot" Bernard GUETTA, Vice-President of the sub-committee of Human Rights (DROI) declared.