After six countries, including France, summoned the Chinese ambassador to Italy, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Chinese ambassador to Italy, Li Junhua, on the 24th. But Li Junhua’s sarcastic criticism at a hearing that some “political viruses” are worse than the Epidemic was met with a collective walkout by members of the “Alliance Party”. In addition, the Swedish Foreign Minister also summoned Chinese Ambassador Gui Congyou.
The Central News Agency reported that the European Union blacklisted four former and current Chinese officials in Xinjiang for persecution of Uighurs on the 22nd. The Chinese Communist Party immediately retaliated by banning 10 European human rights activists and four European human rights organizations from entering China.
The organizations include the Political Security Committee of the Council of the European Union, the European Parliament’s Human Rights Section, the Mercator Center for China Studies (MERICS) in Germany, and the Danish Democratic Union Foundation.
Italian Deputy Foreign Minister Marina Sereni summoned Li Junhua to express her strong dissatisfaction on the 24th morning, stressing that the defense of human rights and fundamental freedoms is Italy’s unshakable position, and that Italy will stand firmly with those MPs, scholars and think tanks sanctioned by China.
Italy agrees with the measures taken by the European Union to defend the human rights of the Uighurs in Xinjiang, and it cannot accept the countermeasures taken by the Chinese Communist Party, Celanni said. The CCP’s counter-measures kill the freedom of speech, thought and expression, which are the cornerstone of democratic values and the philosophy that enlightens Italy and the EU as a whole.
In his closing remarks, Serrani noted that the EU is a key player in global affairs and hoped that China would be more open and honest in its dialogue with the EU and seek mutual cooperation.
In response to the Italian government’s assertive attitude, the Chinese Communist Party immediately hit back in a high profile manner. In a press release posted on the official website of the Chinese Embassy in Italy, the full text not only did not mention that Li Junhua was summoned by the Foreign Ministry of Italy to protest, but also said that Li Junhua “made serious representations to the Italian Foreign Ministry”; the text also emphasized that the Chinese Communist Party has always been “If people offend me, I will offend them. The article also stressed that the Chinese Communist Party has always been “if someone offends me, I will offend him”, and urged the European Union to reflect on itself as soon as possible and correct the mistakes made.
When Li Junhua attended the hearing of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Italian Parliament yesterday, he said sarcastically that some “political viruses” are more terrible than epidemics. Li Junhua’s speech aroused the discontent of the rightist “Lega” MPs, who walked out of the meeting in protest.
The Alliance Party then tweeted that the Chinese Communist Party ignored their legitimate demands for freedom and democracy, so why should they put up with the authoritarian government’s lectures here?
Matteo Salvini, the president of the Alliance Party, criticized China for hiding and spreading the epidemic, and that the Chinese Communist Party should pay the price, in an interview with Rete4 last night.
Piero Fassino, president of the Italian Foreign Affairs Committee, which belongs to the leftist Democratic Party, also said during the hearing that Italy recognizes that each country has its own cultural and religious background, but that human rights values are universal and that the human rights and citizenship of citizens of each country should not be denied. This is a principle that should be observed even by China. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights cited by the EU is recognized by 168 countries worldwide, including China, and the EU is not imposing its own values on other countries.
In addition, Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde summoned Chinese Ambassador Gui Congyou to a meeting with State Secretary Robert Rydberg on the 23rd and expressed his strong dissatisfaction to the Chinese side.
During the meeting, Rydberg expressed his strong dissatisfaction with the Chinese ambassador’s actions against the EU counter-sanctions. After the meeting, Foreign Minister Linde told the Swedish news agency TT News Agency that she would not go into details of the talks, but that the Communist Party had not given any explanation for the sanctions against Asian expert Björn Jerdén.
And Gui said in a press release through the Chinese embassy that Sweden and Europe should not interfere in China’s internal affairs on the grounds of human rights, and that the Chinese government firmly defends national sovereignty, security and development interests.
On the 23rd, at least six European Union countries summoned the Chinese ambassador, including France, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands and Lithuania, to express their strong dissatisfaction with the Chinese Communist Party.
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