10 individuals, 4 entities in EU sanctioned for spreading lies, disinformation

China decided to sanction 10 individuals and four entities on the European Union side for severely harming China's sovereignty and interests, and maliciously spreading lies and disinformation, the Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

The sanctions, announced in a statement published on the ministry's website, came after the EU imposed unilateral sanctions on relevant individuals and one entity on Monday, citing the so-called human rights issues in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

"The EU's move, based on nothing but lies and disinformation, disregards and distorts facts, grossly interferes in China's internal affairs, flagrantly breaches international law and basic norms governing international relations, and severely undermines China-EU relations," the statement said.

"China firmly opposes and strongly condemns this," it said.

The individuals and entities to be sanctioned by the Chinese side are Reinhard Butikofer, Michael Gahler, Raphaël Glucksmann, Ilhan Kyuchyuk and Miriam Lexmann of the European Parliament, Sjoerd Wiemer Sjoerdsma of the Dutch Parliament, Samuel Cogolati of the Belgian Federal Parliament, Dovile Sakaliene of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania, German scholar Adrian Zenz, Swedish scholar Björn Jerdén, the Political and Security Committee of the Council of the European Union, the Subcommittee on Human Rights of the European Parliament, the Mercator Institute for China Studies in Germany, and the Alliance of Democracies Foundation in Denmark.

According to the statement, the individuals concerned and their families are prohibited from entering the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions.

They and companies and institutions associated with them also are restricted from doing business with China.

"The Chinese side urges the EU side to reflect on itself, face squarely the severity of its mistake and redress it," the statement said.

"It must stop lecturing others on human rights and interfering in their internal affairs. It must end the hypocritical practice of double standards and stop going further down the wrong path. Otherwise, China will resolutely make further reactions," it added.