During thorny human rights talks with China on Friday, the European Union voiced concerns about what it called a “deterioration of fundamental freedoms” in the country.
The EU cited “government interference” in the succession plan for the Dalai Lama, an ongoing crackdown in Hong Kong, and jailed Uygur and Tibetan activists as examples in its statement on the 40th edition of the EU-China Human Rights Dialogue in Brussels.
The bloc accused China of “persistent restrictions on freedom of expression, religion or belief, peaceful assembly, and the right to equality and non-discrimination”.
The bloc also called attention to what it said was an “erosion of the rule of law, due process rights violations and the lack of judicial independence” as well as the “use of forced labour and labour transfer programmes”.
In its statement, published on Saturday, the EU said that “the selection of religious leaders should happen without government interference and in accordance with religious norms, including for the succession of the Dalai Lama”.
“The EU called on China to provide transparent and reliable information on the enforced disappearance of the 11th Panchen Lama who is missing since 30 years,” the statement said.
