Sanctions against Uyghurs: Chinese ambassador warns Switzerland Migros calls back the most, banks collect from pension funds – Sunday’s news

Switzerland is struggling when it comes to sanctions against other states. Apparently that was after the Russian invasion of Ukraine at the end of February. Only under massive international pressure did the Federal Council meet and follow the EU sanctions. On the other hand, he plays for another file. The debate is whether Switzerland should adopt the EU’s so-called thematic sanctions.

As a result of serious human rights violations against the Muslim Uyghur minority in Xinjiang, the EU has imposed sanctions on responsible Chinese officials and authorities. Swiss politicians from various parties have also demanded that Switzerland follow suit with the sanctions.

Ambassador calls on Switzerland to “reason”.

It is no accident that the Federal Council hesitates. He fears that good economic relations will be affected. This fear does not seem unfounded. The Chinese ambassador in Bern warns the Federal Council not to follow the EU. “If Switzerland takes over the sanctions and the situation develops in an uncontrolled direction, Sino-Swiss relations will suffer,” Wang Shihting said in an interview with NZZ am Sonntag.

“Anyone who really cares about friendly relations between the two countries” will not agree to the sanctions. It is clear to Shihting that the sanctions violate international law and serve “only to contain China”. China is “a partner and not a rival”.

The Chinese ambassador praises German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for his visit to Beijing this week. In Europe, there are “forces” that consider the development of relations with China “objective and reasonable”. “We hope that Switzerland will also keep this common sense.”

China strategy caused controversy

It is not the first time the Chinese ambassador has issued a warning. In March 2021, the Federal Council’s China strategy had an aftermath. Wang Shihting criticized China being given “evil labels”. He spoke of “false truths” and “fake news”. Such statements had a negative impact on relations between the two countries.

The reason was the words to Beijing, which were clear to Swiss standards. Politically, China remains a de facto one-party state with increasingly authoritarian tendencies,” Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis said when presenting the strategy. The human rights situation has also deteriorated – especially for ethnic minorities such as the Uyghurs or Tibetans. (aargauerzeitung.ch)