Any agreement like this needs to be approved by the EU's 27 member states and ratified by the European parliament. Ostensibly, this was in protest at China placing sanctions on five MEPs who had criticized China's treatment of Muslim Uyghurs in Xinjiang among other things. One official even lauded the parliament's action, saying it provided proof that "economic interests will not prevent the EU from standing up for human rights." The EU's record on human rights, critics argue, is already patchy. "Trade and investment are an area where economic interests have always prevailed over respect for human rights, as much as security concerns have always prevailed in migration management," says Elena Crespi, program officer for Western Europe at the International Federation for Human Rights.

Source: CNN May 27, 2021 01:07 UTC