China slapped sanctions on several British politicians and organizations Friday after the U.K. joined the European Union and others in sanctioning Chinese officials accused of human rights abuses in the Xinjiang region. In the latest salvo in its full-bore response to Western criticism, China sanctioned four British institutions and nine individuals, including prominent lawmakers who have criticized the treatment of the Uyghur Muslim minority in Xinjiang.
China passed Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law | Dentons jdsupra.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from jdsupra.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The lopsided agreement, which ostensibly aims to level the economic and financial playing field by providing European companies with improved access to the Chinese market, actually allows China to continue to restrict investment opportunities for European companies in many strategic sectors. The deal also lacks meaningful enforcement mechanisms for issues that the EU claims to care about, such as climate change and human rights, including forced labor. China has repeatedly demonstrated its willingness to use its economic power as a strategic weapon. By deepening their economic reliance on China without coordinating their policy with fellow democracies European nations are increasing their vulnerability to pressure from Beijing. That is a remarkably shortsighted decision to make. Gideon Rachman,
Self-censorship on issues relating to China is “the most important freedom of speech issue” facing British universities, a former minister has warned.
Lord (Jo) Johnson, former universities minister, has suggested that China’s influence on academic research, which cover its own interests, is a “genuine and real threat to freedom of speech”.
He highlighted that the Chinese Government had recently sanctioned academics in Europe for undertaking their research.
The former minister’s comments came as the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill will be introduced in Parliament.
Academics, students or visiting speakers to English universities will be able to seek compensation through the courts if they suffer loss from a breach of the free speech duties under the Bill.