By Martin Banks - 4th June 2009
The EU has become fixated on the short-term goals associated with engagement with China
Edward McMillan-Scott
Senior MEP Edward McMillan-Scott says the EU "must do more" to win democratic freedoms in China.
Writing on the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square protests, the Tory deputy attacked the EU for its "spineless" approach to Beijing.
He said,"Unfortunately, Europe's stance toward human rights abuses in China has become spineless.
"The EU withdrew post-Tiananmen sanctions in the early 1990s and since then commercial gain has subordinated any attempt to influence China's political moderisation."
Writing in the Wall Street Journal, McMillan-Scott, a vice-president of parliament, said, "The EU has become so fixated on the short-term goals associated with engagement with China that any real concern over human rights has gone out of the window.
"It is striking that with China the EU has eschewed the kind of initiatives it implements elsewhere in the world."
China was incensed with parliament last year when it invited the Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama to address MEPs. Parliament was also highly critical of China's response to the uprising in Tibet.
Meanwhile, US secretary of state Hillary Clinton has urged China to publicly account for those killed in the suppression of the Tiananmen Square protests.
Clinton said China should release those still held over the protests and stop harassing those who took part.
Hundreds, possibly thousands, of people died in the crackdown and open discussion of the events remains taboo.
A source at Chna's embassy to the EU and Belgium countered the criticism, saying, "The facts are that China has made good progress in recent years in terms of peaceful development, political reforms and openness.
"All these efforts have been welcomed by the Chinese themselves."
