Dear friends of the European Parliamentary Association,

We are pleased to invite you to a videoconference entitled "Between trade and human rights. Europe-China: rival partners", which will take place on Wednesday 21 April, from 7 to 7.30 pm, on Zoom.

To participate, just click on the link below on the day of the event: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89686910544

The confrontation between China and Europe is becoming increasingly visible. For the first time since the Tiananmen Square crackdown in 1989, the European Union sanctioned China on 22 March for the persecution of the Muslim Uighur community in the Xinjiang region. Beijing retaliated by sanctioning several European personalities, including five MEPs and the Subcommittee on Human Rights. This complicates the ratification of the draft EU-China investment agreement, which promises European companies better access to the Chinese market. On this text an agreement in principle between the EU and China was already reached on 30 December. However, to enter into force, it will need the approval of the European Parliament.

What is the repression of Uyghurs in China? What effects did the EU want to achieve with the sanctions against the Chinese leaders involved in the persecution of Uyghurs? What is the impact of the Chinese counter-sanctions on the future of the EU-China investment agreement? How could this draft agreement change Sino-European economic and trade relations? Could it be a lever for human rights in China, as some say?

We will discuss this with:

• Isabel Wiseler-Lima, MEP from Luxembourg, member of the European People's Party, she sits in the Foreign Affairs Committee, in the Human Rights Subcommittee and, as a substitute member, in the delegation for relations with the People's Republic of China.
• Antoine Bondaz, researcher at the Foundation for Strategic Research (FRS) and teacher at Sciences-Po. He is a specialist in China, Taiwan, North Korea and South Korea.

We hope to see you at this meeting.

Yours sincerely,

Matteo ANGELI

Directeur Opérationnel

 Association Parlementaire Européenne

76 allée de la Robertsau

67000 Strasbourg

T : +33 (0)3-88-25-19-49

P : +33 (0)7-68-91-70-04

Mail : matteo.angeli@ape-europa.eu

www.ape-europa.eu

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