While a video conference between Chinese and EU leaders could take place on Monday 14 September, the Chair of the European Parliament’s Delegation for relations with China, Reinhard Bütikofer (Greens/EFA, Germany), highlighted several measures the EU could take against China.
In a videoconference with the press on Tuesday, 8 September, Mr Bütikofer said he hoped that the German EU Council Presidency could help finalise work on the European sanctions regime in connection with human rights violations, so that those responsible for the situation in Hong Kong or Xinjiang can be brought to justice. European foreign ministers agreed last December to create such a regime of measures.
The MEP also called for Europeans to actively coordinate to offer visas to Hong Kongers, especially young people. “We should do this to express our support for the democratic movements in Hong Kong”, he said. At the end of July, European foreign ministers agreed to examine the implications of national security legislation for asylum, migration, visa and residence policy in accordance with the applicable law (see EUROPE 12538/10).
Mr Bütikofer said he believes that the EU should also ban the import of products from forced labour in China.
Finally, he hoped that Germany would follow the example of several Member States and not include the Chinese company Huawei in the development of 5G on its territory. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)