China and Russia Accused of Spreading Disinformation about COVID-19

MEPs and High Representative/Vice President Josep Borrell will discuss the latest report by the European External Action Service about disinformation on COVID-19, tomorrow 30 April. The aim of the report published by the European External Action Service (EEAS) on 24 April, is to provide a snapshot overview of the current trends and insights into disinformation…

Respect Taiwan

After her election victory on 11 January, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said in an interview: “We are an independent country already and we call ourselves the Republic of China (Taiwan).”  She also said China needs to show Taiwan respect.  However, four days later on 15 January, the permanent mission of the People’s Republic of China to the…

Protecting the EU’s IP

The European Commission published today the latest report on protection and enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) in third countries. While developments have taken place since the publication of the previous report, concerns persist and a number of areas for improvement and action remain to be addressed. Intellectual property rights infringements worldwide cost European firms…

Ilham Tohti Awarded Sakharov Prize

Ilham Tohti’s daughter accepted the 2019 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought on Wednesday on behalf of her jailed father. Tohti, a Uyghur scholar fighting for the rights of China’s Muslim Uyghur minority, has been in prison since 2014 on separatism-related charges. “Ilham Tohti, with his activism, managed to give a voice to the Uyghurs….

Launch of the Formosa Club

Last night (16th October) a reception was held at the European Parliament to celebrate the inauguration of the Formosa Club – an international body to co-ordinate and strengthen the many parliamentary friendship organisations that promote relations with Taiwan. The name of the Club comes from the name given by Portuguese traders to the island of…

Religious Minorities Under Threat in China

Rights organisations have made a fresh and damning condemnation of China’s human rights record. This comes after what is said to be a big upswing in persecution of religious minorities in the country. Speaking in the European Parliament in Brussels, Anna Hill, of Open Doors International, said that China had risen to number 27 on…

An educational test for China’s Uyghur

By Henri Malosse,Guest Contributor  Qiemo County, is in the Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang, China, part of the Southern Silk Route. In 2014 the Chinese government started a program that tried to ‘sinocise’  the non-Han population living in Qiemo County, by incentivising mixed marriage. The plan introduced an allowance that was issued to any mixed…