Europe taking note of China's poor human rights record, underhand tactics: Report

The poor human rights records of China together with underhand tactics of Chinese businesses have led to toughening of the stance of European countries, a media report said on Saturday.

China is getting into difficulties in its relationships with major nations of the European Union (EU), including Germany, the UK, France, and Italy as well as smaller countries like Lithuania.

Human rights abuses in Xinjiang, suppression of democratic norms in Hong Kong, actions in the South China Sea and the threats against Taiwan have started affecting opinions against China in major west European countries, said Inside Over.

There is also concern over the absence of a level playing field in China as well as Chinese attempts at securing critical technologies from the west.

"Chinese (business) acquisitions lead to undesirable technology transfers, Chinese acquirers enjoy an unfair advantage because of government subsidies," said an article in Review of International Economics in July 2021 quoting a European Commission analysis of 2019 on challenges and prospects in relationship with China.

It further said, "Their (China's) acquisitions are motivated strategically with the objective to get market dominance or to increase China's political influence in the target countries. Chinese acquisitions also have adverse consequences for employees of target firms."

Several countries like the UK, France, Germany and Lithuania have in recent times taken measures that reverse their previous accommodative policies towards China, the report said, citing the Lithuanian Parliament's resolution against the suppression of Uyghurs, UK's decision to not buy equipment from Huawei, and the coalition treaty of the new German government.

"We clearly address China's human rights violations, especially in Xinjiang. The one country, two systems in Hong Kong must be reasserted. We are committed to a free and open Indo-Pacific region, based on global norms and international law," the German coalition treaty read.

( With inputs from ANI )

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