The European Parliament has signalled fierce opposition to advancing a market-access treaty with China by declaring it “frozen”, in a sign of mounting tensions between the bloc and Beijing. MEPs voted by an overwhelming majority on Thursday to halt the ratification of the mooted pact because of retaliatory sanctions imposed by Beijing on European parliamentarians, diplomats, academics and think tanks. Thursday’s resolution was passed with 599 votes in favour, 30 against and 58 abstentions.
While carrying no legal force, the vote shows the hurdle to implement the deal, which requires EU parliament approval. It also reflects a shift in EU capitals against the accord, which was agreed at a political level only in December. Beijing slapped on the sanctions in a response to EU travel bans and asset freezes imposed on four Chinese officials and a security organisation over persecution and mass internments of Uyghur Muslims. China’s measures are aimed at high-profile critics of its policies, but also included EU institutional bodies such as the bloc’s Political and Security Committee made up of ambassadors from the 27 member states.
Reinhard Bütikofer, a German Green MEP who chairs the EU parliament China delegation and was one of those placed under sanction, said the legislature would “not budge”. He said Beijing’s efforts to police the global conversation on China were “as ridiculous as they are arrogant, and they will fail”.
“With its sanctions, China has miscalculated,” he said. “They should learn from their mistakes and rethink. ” Pedro Marques, a socialist MEP from Portugal, said China had been guilty of an “attack against European democracy”, declaring: “We will not tolerate it.” The investment agreement row underlines a growing EU debate over China policy as the US seeks to build international alliances to counter Beijing in areas such as trade and security. The European bloc is expanding its own armoury of economic weapons, including proposals to bar some statesubsidised foreign companies from the EU single market.
Sigrid Kaag, the Netherlands’ trade minister, said her country “very much” supported the EU parliament’s move on the investment deal.