EU arms embargo on China: is it time to lift it?

5.00.51pm GMT Wed 9th Mar 2005

The EU is considering lifting the arms embargo, imposed after the Tiananmen Square massacre of pro-democracy students in 1989. Yet according to human rights experts, the human rights situation in China is deteriorating, rather than improving. Whilst China remains a powerful economic and political player in the region, the EU needs to seek assurances that it is a force of stability rather than tension on the international scene. The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats organised a hearing today to reflect upon the conditions under which it would consider a review of the 16 year embargo. Speakers included human rights experts and Members of the European Parliament.

"This hearing is not a campaign rally against China. But if the EU decides to raise the arms embargo, it is necessary to get the conditions right. There are a number of concrete improvements that we would wish to see introduced first", ALDE leader Graham WATSON declared during his opening speech. "We want to hear from experts and take the time to discuss this issue thoroughly before taking any decision", he said. Mr. Watson reminded the audience that the students who protested at Tiananmen "are still in prison". Furthermore, China's military budget increased by 12% this year. It also has a past in exchanging materials to North Korea. "The political signals from Beijing remain worrying. We need to share common values before selling arms", Graham Watson added.

Although several EU governments have voiced their public support to lift the arms embargo, there is a cross-party consensus within the European Parliament against lifting the embargo. "The EU acted courageously 16 years ago", recalled Graham Watson. "Individual states don't like to act alone, but if they remain steady behind the EU banner, then they will not give way to pressure coming from the EU arms industry which seek to sign new contracts.

Finally, the ALDE leader voiced concern that the EU would risk losing "valuable technical cooperation with the United States" if the embargo was lifted. On the recently adopted anti-secession law that would allow China to use force against Taiwan if the island formally declared its independence, Graham Watson declared: "both sides must take care to do things that don't upset the balance. I hope that the People's Republic of China won't make the Taiwanese people uncomfortable with this move".