European Parliament adopts EU-China report: calls for unconditional release of political prisoners, flags Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong

Full report

Update (October 12, 2026): Hong Kong Watch published an analysis on October 12 welcoming the European Parliament's October 7 adoption of recommendations on EU-China relations, highlighting the Hong Kong provisions: urging the PRC to free Jimmy Lai, Benny Tai, Joshua Wong, Leung Kwok-hung, Owen Chow, Chow Hang-tung and the members of the Hong Kong 47 who remain imprisoned under the National Security Law; and to suspend all extradition arrangements to Hong Kong until judicial independence and freedom of expression are fully restored. The text states that the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights is legally binding in Hong Kong under the Sino-British Joint Declaration and takes precedence over national security legislation; that fundamental freedoms, the rule of law and judicial independence in Hong Kong have collapsed since the National Security Law was imposed in 2020, and that the PRC has fully breached 'one country, two systems'. The recommendations cite the arrest warrants issued in July 2025 against 19 overseas-based activists, call for an EU-wide framework to counter transnational repression, and call on the PRC to close its so-called overseas police stations in the EU. Hong Kong Watch Policy Director Megan Khoo commented on the vote. [5]Note: the above is an advocacy organisation's reading and commentary on the parliamentary vote; the report's policy positions rest on the European Parliament's official text. This site maintains the 'under ongoing verification' grading. [5]

On Wednesday, October 7, 2026, the European Parliament adopted its recommendation on EU-China relations by 454 votes in favour, 86 against and 110 abstentions, addressed to the other EU institutions. On human rights, the report demands a reinforced human rights dialogue and pressure on China over repression, forced labour and policies in Tibet and Xinjiang; expresses "deep concern" over the adoption of the Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress and its potential to further institutionalise assimilationist policies; and calls for the unconditional release of political prisoners. It also calls for stronger EU resilience against cyberattacks, foreign interference, espionage and hybrid threats. [1][2]

Rapporteur Hilde Vautmans (Renew, Belgium) called the vote "a turning point in Europe's China policy", adding that as long as fundamental differences on security, human rights and values persist, China will remain a "systemic rival". The Parliament reaffirmed the EU's One China policy while opposing any unilateral change to the status quo in the Taiwan Strait by force or coercion. [1]

On background: direct contacts between the European Parliament and Chinese authorities resumed last year after being effectively frozen since 2021, when the Chinese government imposed sanctions on several MEPs in response to the EU's human rights sanctions against Chinese officials and organisations. Three parliamentary delegations visited China between March and June 2026; a fourth is expected later in October 2026. [1]

In the same week, during the UN General Assembly Third Committee general debate, the International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) published a briefing urging States to call for the immediate and unconditional release of individuals arbitrarily detained for exercising their rights, naming recently convicted Hong Kong Tiananmen-vigil defendants Chow Hang-tung and Lee Cheuk-yan, as well as Gao Zhen, Ding Jiaxi, Xu Zhiyong and Gulshan Abbas, and condemning transnational repression and reprisals against defenders and their families, including against Hong Kong activist Anna Kwok. These are advocacy calls; this site records them alongside the Parliament's report for reference. [3]

Verification note: this record documents the verifiable official act — the European Parliament's adoption of the recommendation (published in its press room) — and the political positions stated in it. The specific abuse allegations in Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong cited by the report have not been independently verified by this site; of the individual cases named by ISHR, the Chow Hang-tung / Lee Cheuk-yan cases are already documented on this site (see the Tiananmen-vigil sentences record), while the remaining cases await further verification. The record is therefore marked "Developing / checking", and this site will follow whether the EU institutions act on the recommendation. [1][2][3]

Update (October 9, 2026): The Macao SAR Government issued a statement on October 9 expressing "strong opposition to, and resolute denunciation of" the European Parliament report's criticism of the judicial proceedings in Macao's first national security case. It called the remarks "unfounded" and an application of double standards toward Macao's rule of law, stressed that the case was adjudicated in accordance with the law and that the suspect's procedural rights were protected, and urged the European Parliament to immediately stop interfering in China's domestic affairs and Macao's internal affairs. This is the Macao SAR Government's public response to the report. [4]