China lifts sanctions on European Parliament members over Uyghurs

China, which is rushing to restore relations with the European Union, has lifted sanctions imposed on five MEPs in retaliation for the Uyghurs in 2021.

The European Parliament announced on April 30 that China had lifted sanctions imposed on five MEPs in 2021, stressing that this is an important step towards the resumption of dialogue between the EU and China.

According to Agence France-Presse, the European Parliament in its statement welcomed China's decision, but stressed that it could not eliminate the many issues between China and the EU, in particular the differences on core issues such as respect for human rights.

On March 22, 2021, the European Union imposed sanctions on a number of Chinese officials and the Public Security Bureau of the Production and Construction Division, who were implicated in the mass internment and repression of Uyghurs. At the time, China immediately retaliated against the EU decision, announcing sanctions on ten individuals, including members of the European Parliament and researchers, as well as four institutions.

A few days ago, a spokesperson for the EU's foreign policy and sanctions watchdog said that the situation in East Turkistan had not improved, and that even if China lifted the sanctions on the EU members of parliament, the EU would maintain sanctions on Chinese officials.