fredag 26. mars 2021

China’s defence minister on Europe mission as US tries to rally Nato

Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe defended Beijing’s Xinjiang policies as he landed in Europe for a weeklong trip as the US tries to rally countries on the continent to its side. In a meeting with Hungarian President Janos Ader on Wednesday, Wei pushed back against European Union sanctions imposed on Monday over alleged human rights violations in Xinjiang.

The Chinese defence ministry said Wei “praises Hungary for showing support and speaking for China on issues relating to China’s core concerns, including Xinjiang”. All 27 EU governments, including Hungary, agreed to the punitive measures. But Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto called them “harmful” and “pointless”. Hungary is the first stop in Wei’s trip, which will also take him to Greece, North Macedonia and Serbia, according to the defence ministry.