China and the European Parliament are “in the final stages” of lifting retaliatory penalties Beijing placed on a few legislators in 2021, a contentious action that led to the breakdown of a crucial investment agreement.
The proposal coincides with mounting rumours of a new beginning in EU-China ties, fueled by Donald Trump’s divisive tactics that have enraged both allies and adversaries, forcing countries to seek new alliances.
“Discussions with the Chinese authorities are continuing and in their final stages,” a Parliament official said in a statement. Resuming ties with China and lifting the sanctions has always been the goal of the European Parliament.
Leaders of the political groupings will be notified “once the Chinese authorities officially confirm that sanctions have been lifted,” the spokeswoman said, following discussions headed by Roberta Metsola, president of the Parliament. A request for comment from the Chinese Mission to the EU was not immediately answered.
When the 27 member states decided to impose sanctions on four Chinese individuals and one organisation for allegedly violating the human rights of the Uyghur Muslin minority in the Xinjiang region in March 2021, the political battle began. Beijing retaliated with tit-for-tat restrictions, focusing on four organisations and 10 European citizens, including five MEPS.
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