China sanctions UK lawmakers & entities in retaliation for Xinjiang measures

More retaliatory sanctions have been issued by China over Xinjiang, this time targeting inpiduals and organizations in the United Kingdom who "maliciously spread lies and disinformation" about Beijing's treatment of Uyghur Muslims, CNN reported according to the Chinese government.

On Friday, China's foreign ministry said in a statement that the UK had "imposed unilateral sanctions on relevant Chinese inpiduals and entity, citing the so-called human rights issues in Xinjiang."

The statement added: "This move, based on nothing but lies and disinformation, flagrantly breaches international law and basic norms governing international relations, grossly interferes in China's internal affairs, and severely undermines China-UK relations."

Five members of Parliament, Tom Tugendhat, Iain Duncan Smith, Neil O'Brien, Tim Loughton, and Nusrat Ghani, as well as two members of the House of Lords, David Alton and Helena Kennedy, and academic Joanne Smith Finley and barrister Geoffrey Nice, have been sanctioned.

The China Research Group, the Conservative Party Human Rights Commission, the Uyghur Tribunal, and Essex Court Chambers, a leading London law firm, were also appointed by Beijing.

"China is firmly determined to safeguard its national sovereignty, security and development interests, and warns the UK side not go further down the wrong path," the Chinese foreign ministry statement said. "Otherwise, China will resolutely make further reactions."

"It speaks volumes that, while the UK joins the international community in sanctioning those responsible for human rights abuses, the Chinese government sanctions its critics," British Foreign Minister Dominic Raab replied.

"If Beijing want to credibly rebut claims of human rights abuses in Xinjiang, it should allow the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights full access to verify the truth," Raab said in a statement.

Inpiduals involved in the sanctions, as well as their immediate family members, are barred from entering mainland China, Hong Kong, or Macao. According to the foreign ministry, their assets in China will be frozen, and Chinese citizens and institutions will be barred from doing business with them.

Beijing has summoned the UK's ambassador to China to make "solemn representations, expressing firm opposition and strong condemnation," according to Beijing.

Although ties between Beijing and London have deteriorated as a result of the ongoing crackdown in Hong Kong, which the UK claims violates a historic agreement with China, the latest sanctions have the potential to drive them even lower.

It's a far cry from just five years ago, when then-British Prime Minister David Cameron shared a beer with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a visit to the UK that was meant to kick off a "new golden age" in bilateral relations.