D-CN - European Parliament

General documents - Deterioration of fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong, notably the case of Jimmy Lai (15 June 2023) - Delegation for relations with the People's Republic of China

Fri, 16 Jun 2023 15:04:21 GMT

Parliament urges the Hong Kong government to immediately release and drop all charges against pro-democratic representatives and activists, including prominent businessman and politician Jimmy Lai, who has been detained since February 2021 on trumped-up charges and accused of collusion with foreign forces and fraud on the grounds of the National Security Law. MEPs call on the European External Action Service and the EU Office in Hong Kong to step up their trial observations, report on the most prominent trials and request prison visits to Hongkongers in jail for exercising their basic rights. They also reiterate their call on all EU member states to suspend any extradition treaties with Hong Kong and the People's Republic of China.

The resolution was adopted on 15 June 2023 by 483 votes in favour, 9 against and 42 abstentions.

European Parliament resolution of 15 June 2023 on the deterioration of fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong, notably the case of Jimmy Lai (2023/2737(RSP))

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

General documents - Chinese government crackdown on the peaceful protests across the People's Republic of China (15 December 2022) - Delegation for relations with the People's Republic of China

Fri, 16 Dec 2022 11:37:12 GMT

MEPs express their support for protesters fighting for fundamental rights who are being persecuted by the Chinese government, notably in the context of the zero COVID-19 policy. They are concerned about violations of freedoms of expression, association, assembly, press and media in China - intensified by the use of mass surveillance - and demand that human rights be guaranteed.

MEPs point out, deploring the systematic repression of Uyghur ethnicity, notably in the Xinjiang region. MEPs highlight the arrest of a foreign journalist covering the protests and demand unhindered access to China for independent journalists, international observers and investigative bodies.

The resolution calls for sanctions against those responsible for crimes against humanity to be intensified, for better coordination regarding Chinese overseas police service stations and for addressing freedom of expression during official talks with China.

The resolution was adopted by show of hands on 15 December 2022.

European Parliament resolution of 15 December 2022 on the Chinese Government crackdown on the peaceful protests across the People’s Republic of China (2022/2992(RSP))

Source : © European Union, 2022 - EP

General documents - G7 Foreign Ministers’ Statement on the Taiwan Strait (3 August 2022) - Delegation for relations with the People's Republic of China

Tue, 23 Aug 2022 07:44:22 GMT

G7 Foreign Ministers' Statement on Preserving Peace and Stability Across the Taiwan Strait

EEAS Press release 3 August 2022 (webpage)

Source : © European Union, 2022 - EP

General documents - Violations of fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong (20 January 2022) - Delegation for relations with the People's Republic of China

Fri, 21 Jan 2022 11:01:20 GMT

Parliament condemns in the strongest terms the deterioration of human rights in Hong Kong, including severe restrictions on freedom of expression, freedom of association and press freedom. MEPs call on the Hong Kong government to release all political prisoners and drop charges against all peaceful protesters arrested in recent years.

The text was adopted in the plenary on 20 January 2022 by 585 votes in favour, 46 against and 41 abstentions.

European Parliament resolution of 20 January 2022 on violations of fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong (2022/2503(RSP))

Source : © European Union, 2022 - EP

General documents - Meeting of 25 October 2021 (with semi-remote participation) - Delegation for relations with the People's Republic of China

Tue, 30 Nov 2021 16:50:24 GMT

The Delegation for relations with the People's Republic of China held an ordinary meeting on Monday 25 October 2021 at 10.00-11.30 with semi-remote participation.

The main topic on the agenda was an exchange of views on China's expected role at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties in Glasgow with

Mr Byford Tsang, Senior Policy Advisor, Climate Diplomacy, leading China strategy and engagement at the E3G's London office
Mr Lutz Weischer, Head of Policy, Germanwatch

The webstreaming of the meeting was recorded and can be followed here: EP Live

Minutes 25 October 2021
Meeting documents

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

General documents - EU-Taiwan political relations and cooperation (21 October 2021) - Delegation for relations with the People's Republic of China

Fri, 29 Oct 2021 09:00:21 GMT

Parliament calls for closer relations with Taiwan guided by the EU's One China Policy, while issuing warnings over the continued tensions across the Taiwan Strait.

The text was approved on 21 October 2021 by 580 votes in favour, 26 against with 66 abstentions.

European Parliament recommendation of 21 October 2021 to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on EU-Taiwan political relations and cooperation (2021/2041(INI))

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

General documents - Meeting of 21 June 2021 (with remote participation) - Delegation for relations with the People's Republic of China

Wed, 27 Oct 2021 07:26:45 GMT

An ordinary meeting of the China Delegation with an exchange of views on China's 14th Five-Year Plan was held on Monday 21 June 2021 with following speakers:

Mr Joerg Wuttke, President EU Chamber of Commerce in China (EUCCC), Vice President - Chief Representative, BASF (China)
Prof Dr Kristin Shi‐Kupfer, the University of Trier, and Senior Associate Fellow at the Mercator Institute for China Studies, MERICS
Mr Jude Blanchette, Freeman Chair in China Studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) (Washington)

Minutes 21 June 2021
Meeting documents

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

General documents - Chinese countersanctions on EU entities and MEPs and MPs (20 May 2021) - Delegation for relations with the People's Republic of China

Wed, 02 Jun 2021 13:30:29 GMT

In a resolution adopted on Thursday 20 May 2021, Parliament condemns in the strongest possible terms the baseless and arbitrary sanctions recently imposed by the Chinese authorities on several European individuals and entities, including five MEPs. Members state that the move by Beijing is an attack on fundamental freedoms and urge the Chinese authorities to lift these wholly unjustified restrictive measures.

The text was approved in the plenary by 599 votes in favour, 30 against with 58 abstentions.

European Parliament Resolution of 20 May 2021 on Chinese countersanctions on EU entities and MEPs and MPs (2021/2644(RSP))

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

General documents - Joint statement of 23 March 2021 on human rights abuses in China - Delegation for relations with the People's Republic of China

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 14:01:36 GMT

MEPs continue to firmly condemn human rights abuses in China

Statement by leading MEPs following the decision by Chinese authorities to sanction the Subcommittee on Human Rights and other European entities and officials.

"We take note of the decision by the Chinese authorities to impose sanctions in retaliation to the Council's decision of 22 March to impose sanctions on four Chinese officials and one entity.

The Subcommittee on Human Rights has a duty to monitor the human rights situation across the world and to promote and protect these rights in accordance with the values and objectives on which the European Union is founded, namely, the principle of universality of human rights. We believe that China's measures aim to undermine our work.

We wish to express our solidarity with other parliamentarians, European universities, think tanks and academics who have also been targeted by these sanctions.

Regarding the situation in China, we reiterate our serious concerns about the abuses in the country, in particular the persecution of the Uighur minority in the province of Xinjiang, and the repression of all dissenting and opposition voices. We firmly condemn these acts and the Chinese government's recent attempts to interfere in the democratic life of our nations and our European Union.

As elected Members of the European Parliament, we will continue to actively denounce human rights violations and breaches of international law, and to urge the EU to keep the respect of human rights at the core of all its external policies."

The statement is co-signed by:

David McAllister (EPP, Germany), Chair of the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee;

Maria Arena (S&D, Belgium), Chair of the European Parliament's Subcommittee on Human Rights;

Raphaël Glucksmann (S&D, France), Chair of the Special Committee on Foreign Interference in all Democratic Processes in the European Union, including Disinformation;

Reinhard Bütikofer (The Greens/EFA, Germany), Chair of the European Parliament's delegation for relations with the People's Republic of China.

Press release of 23 March 2021
D-CN Chair's statement of 23 March 2021

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

General documents - Constituent meeting of 26 September 2019, Brussels - Delegation for relations with the People's Republic of China - Delegation for relations with Afghanistan

Thu, 13 Feb 2020 14:53:59 GMT

At its constituent meeting on 26th September 2019, the Delegation for relations with the People's Republic of China elected:

Mr Reinhard BÜTIKOFER (Greens, DE) as Chair
Mme Evelyne GEBHARDT (S&D, DE) as 1st Vice-Chair
Mme Maria SPYRAKI (EPP, GR) as 2nd Vice-Chair

Minutes 26 September 2019
Meeting documents

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

General documents - Chair's message of 30 January 2020 to Ambassador Zhang Ming on coronavirus - Delegation for relations with the People's Republic of China

Tue, 11 Feb 2020 15:59:45 GMT

Your Excellency, dear Ambassador Zhang,

I wish to express my heartfelt sympathy to the Chinese people, in particular those from Wuhan, in the present coronavirus crisis. My sympathy goes out to those who are infected and fight for their lives, to those who already lost loved ones, and to everybody encountering hardships due to the restrictions imposed. That includes those who had to cancel their travel plans during the long-awaited Chinese New Year holidays and are worried about the safety of their families.

On the international level we will all agree that public health emergencies must be handled quickly, transparently, and without undue administrative or political considerations. The international community is certainly joining with China in the wish that researchers around the world will soon find a way to contain the virus and to help those infected.

My best regards,

Reinhard Bütikofer

Chair of the Delegation for Relations with the People's Republic of China

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

General documents - 41th EU-China IPM, 7-9 May 2018, Beijing & Hangzhou - Delegation for relations with the People's Republic of China

Tue, 11 Jun 2019 14:45:54 GMT

Seven Members of the D-CN including the Chair, Mr Jo Leinen, travelled to Beijing and Hangzhou for the 41th IPM on 7-9 May 2018. Main topics discussed were China-EU relations and cooperation between NPC and European Parliament, Rule of Law, Cyber Security/Cyber laws in China as well as domestic economic situation and China-EU digital economic cooperation.

Mission report of the 41st EU-China IPM in Beijing & Hangzhou 7-9 May 2018

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

General documents - 40th EU-China IPM, 15-16 November 2017, Strasbourg - Delegation for relations with the People's Republic of China

Tue, 11 Jun 2019 14:45:33 GMT

A four-member delegation of the Chinese National People's Congress, led by Mr Xiaochu Wang, visited Strasbourg for the 40th inter-parliamentary meeting with MEPs. Over the of course of two sessions, they held lively debates about, amongst other subjects, the situation on the Korean Peninsula, climate change, trade and investment and digital issues. The Chinese side also debriefed MEPs on the 19th Communist Party Congress.

Meeting documents 15-16 November 2017
Press release following the 40th IPM
Minutes of the 40th EU-China IPM, November 2017

General documents - Meeting of 12 September 2018, Strasbourg - Delegation for relations with the People's Republic of China

Tue, 16 Apr 2019 13:45:09 GMT

The latest meeting of the Delegation for relations with the People's Republic of China took place on Wednesday 12 September 2018 in Strasbourg.

Meeting documents 12 September 2018
Minutes 12 September 2018

General documents - Meeting of 13 June 2018, Strasbourg - Delegation for relations with the People's Republic of China

Tue, 16 Apr 2019 13:43:14 GMT

The meeting was held in camera. A representative of the European External Action Service briefed Members and replied to questions via videoconference.

Meeting documents 13 June 2018
Minutes 13 June 2018

General documents - Statement of 10 July 2018 on Nobel laureate's widow LIU Xia - Delegation for relations with the People's Republic of China

Wed, 11 Jul 2018 10:02:43 GMT

MEP Leinen welcomes China's decision on Nobel laureate's widow LIU Xia for her to leave the country.

Full text of statement of 10 July 2018

General documents - Meeting of 7 February 2018, Strasbourg - Delegation for relations with the People's Republic of China

Tue, 29 May 2018 09:16:58 GMT

The meeting was held in camera and focussed on a briefing by representatives of the European Commission on the comprehensive investment agreement negotiations with China.

Meeting documents 7 February 2018
Minutes 7 February 2018

General documents - Meeting of 9 October 2017, Brussels - Delegation for relations with the People's Republic of China

Tue, 29 May 2018 09:12:44 GMT

An exchange of views took place with Ms Helena Lagarda and Ms Lucrezia Poggetti from the Mercator Institute for China Studies, and Mr Rogier Creemers from the University of Leiden. The discussions focused on China's global and security roles and cybersecurity.

Meeting documents 9 October 2017
Minutes 9 October 2017

General documents - Meeting of 13 September 2017, Strasbourg - Delegation for relations with the People's Republic of China

Tue, 29 May 2018 09:06:56 GMT

The main subject of the meeting was an exchange of views with a representative from the European Commission on the 2018 EU-China Tourism Year.

Meeting documents 13 September 2017
Minutes 13 September 2017

Latest news - Next meeting - Delegation for relations with the People's Republic of China

Mon, 02 Oct 2017 12:46:11 GMT

The next meeting of the Delegation for relations with China will take place on 9 October in Brussels.