EP resolutions

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.

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.

Parliament strongly condemns the recent Chinese aggressive military exercises in the Taiwan Strait, while calling for strengthened EU relations with Taipei.

In a resolution adopted on Thursday 15 September 2022, MEPs denounce China's recent and unprecedented live-fire military exercises in the Taiwan Strait, which began in August 2022 following a visit to Taiwan by the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi.

They also demand the Chinese government refrain from any measures which could destabilise the Taiwan Strait and regional security. MEPs approved the text 424 votes in favour, 14 against with 46 abstentions.

Parliament condemns the arrests of Cardinal Joseph Zen, one of the strongest advocates of Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement, and of the other four trustees of the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund (which provides humanitarian and financial support to persons injured, arrested or threatened during the Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill protests). MEPs point out that these and similar repressive actions, such as the closure of over 60 civil society groups, constitute an attack on the freedoms guaranteed in the Hong Kong Basic Law, including the freedom of religion or belief.

The resolution urges the Hong Kong authorities to drop all charges against Cardinal Zen and the other four trustees - Cyd Ho, Denise Ho, Hui Po-Keung and Margaret Ng - and to release Cyd Ho.

The text was adopted on 7 July 2022 by show of hands.

Parliament strongly condemns the repression of the Uyghur community and other ethnic Turkic people in the Uyghur Autonomous Region of Xinjiang. These minority groups in China are victims of brutal measures such as mass deportation, political indoctrination, and family separation, restrictions of religious freedom, cultural destruction and extensive use of surveillance.

Parliament calls upon the EU and its member states to take all necessary steps to end these atrocities, including the adoption of additional sanctions targeting Chinese high-ranking officials identified in the Xinjiang police files and the suspension of the extradition treaties with China and Hong Kong.

The resolution was adopted on Thursday 9 June 2022 by show of hands.

Parliament expresses serious concern about reports of persistent, systematic, inhumane and state-sanctioned organ harvesting from prisoners in China, and more specifically from Falun Gong practitioners. It recalls that China has ratified the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, which provides for the absolute and non-derogable prohibition of said practices.

MEPs consider that the practice of organ harvesting from living prisoners on death row and prisoners of conscience in China may amount to crimes against humanity. They call on the Chinese authorities to respond promptly to the allegations of organ harvesting and to allow independent monitoring by international human rights mechanisms, including the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

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

The EU should continue talking to China about global challenges like climate change and health crises, while raising its concerns over systemic human rights violations.

In a report adopted on Thursday 16 September 2021, by 570 votes in favour, 61 against with 40 abstentions, the European Parliament outlines six pillars on which the EU should build a new strategy to engage with China: cooperation on global challenges, engagement on international norms and human rights, identifying risks and vulnerabilities, building partnerships with like-minded partners, fostering strategic autonomy and defending European interests and values.

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.