Sanctions war escalates as China strikes back

In a retaliatory move, Beijing announces sanctions on several British entities and lawmakers

BEIJING: China has sanctioned several individuals, including lawmakers, and entities in the UK over what it called “lies and disinformation” about the situation in Xinjiang. This comes days after Britain imposed sanctions on Chinese officials over alleged rights abuses in the northwestern Chinese province.

Beijing’s move is retaliation against a set of coordinated sanctions imposed recently by the US, the European Union, Britain and Canada against China over what they claim are human rights violations against the Uighur Muslim minorities in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region (XUAR).

Among those sanctioned on Friday by China were nine UK individuals and four entities including chairman of the foreign affairs committee Tom Tugendhat and other MPs and scholars, the Chinese foreign ministry said.

Former Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith and the Conservative Party Human Rights Commission have been sanctioned because they “maliciously spread lies and disinformation”.

Four entities named by Beijing were the China Research Group, Conservative Party Human Rights Commission, Uighur Tribunal, and Essex Court Chambers, a Londonbased law firm. Beijing had announced retaliatory action against the EU earlier this week.

The tit-for-tat sanctions mean the targeted individuals and their immediate family members are prohibited from entering Chinese territory, the ministry said, adding that Chinese citizens and institutions will be prohibited from doing business with them.

“China is firmly determined to safeguard its national sovereignty... and warns the UK side not to go further down the wrong path,” the ministry said.