UK Foreign Office Summons Chinese Charge d'Affaires Over Beijing's Sanctions

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 26th March, 2021) The UK Foreign Office on Friday summoned China's Charge d'Affaires Yang Xiaoguang over Beijing's decision to sanction nine UK citizens and four entities.

"Today the Chinese Charge d'Affaires, Yang Xiaoguang, was summoned to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Minister for Asia, Nigel Adams MP, made clear Beijing's decision to impose sanctions on British individuals and entities is unwarranted and unacceptable," the Foreign Office said in a statement.

China introduced the sanctions earlier on Friday, after the United Kingdom, along with the European Union, the United States and Canada, slapped restrictions on Chinese officials over alleged human rights violations in China's Xinjiang.

"The Minister [Adams] noted that China has chosen to sanction individuals and entities that are seeking to shine a light on human rights violations and that today's actions would not distract attention away from those very violations taking place in Xinjiang," the Foreign Office added.