The French National Assembly on Thursday passed a resolution officially declaring Beijing's attitude towards the Uighur-Muslim minority in Xinjiang a "genocide". With this, the deputies have undermined the political plans of President Emmanuel Macron, who will attend the opening of the Winter Olympic Games in Beijing in two weeks, writes the European edition of Politico.
The resolution officially recognizes the violence perpetrated by the authorities of the People's Republic of China against the Uighurs as a crime against humanity and genocide "and calls on the government to do the same and take action to stop the violence.
Only one MP voted against: Buon Tan, a member of Macron's Republic Forward party and chairman of the France-China friendship group in parliament.
Macron's stance on China has been in the spotlight in recent days as the Beijing Olympics approach. While several countries - including the United States, the United Kingdom, Belgium and Lithuania - are boycotting the event, France is among the countries to send representatives to Beijing.
French Trade Minister Frank Riester also condemned human rights abuses in China, but said only international organizations should determine whether there is "genocide"
"It is not the government's job to express an opinion on the legal qualification of the situation," he told lawmakers on Thursday, insisting that France "systematically" expressed concern about forced labor and human rights abuses in China in diplomatic talks with Chinese officials.
In a statement, the Chinese embassy in France "expressed its deep concern" that the resolution "would seriously damage China-France relations and France's trust and image in the eyes of the Chinese." It added that the French side was fully aware of the absurdity and harmfulness of this resolution. It must show coherence between words and deeds and take concrete action to protect the healthy development of Sino-French relations. "
Such resolutions have sparked debate in several parliaments inside and outside the EU.
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