https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210318_37/
In response to allegations of human rights abuse, the European Union placed sanctions on China. Zhao Lijan, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, denied the allegations once again and advised the EU to not get involved in their domestic affairs. Zhao also warned the EU that China will not be backing out of any conflict. These sanctions are not the only consequences China has been facing since the allegations broke. Earlier this year, the Netherlands was one of the first countries to call the mistreatment of Uighur Muslims as a genocide, which led to many states following suit. This EU sanction would be the first since the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests.
The European Union and China have been opposing forces for decades, due to their differing leadership styles. The two regions have been at a constant back and forth with disputes, followed by sanctions. China has been known to make big threats to specific countries, yet the EU is a collection of states that have the equivalent level of power. Combined with their allies, it will be interesting to see what comes of the threats. It also begs the question of the nation interest states have in going into a conflict for a minority. It has not been a popular idea throughout history, as many states don’t benefit from it.
A supranational organization, like the European Union, calling out one specific state and its policies is rare to see. The United Nations has not been able to put actions behind their statements condemning other states for similar allegations due the lack of resources and dialog between countries. Meanwhile, the EU’s sanction demonstrates the power that states have when combined in ideology. At the same time, some claim China is too far into power to listen to the EU. China’s increase in power has allowed them to do what they want, therefore it is hard to determine what it will take for China to cooperate with the rest of the global community.