Australian PM Morrison extends support to Boris Johnson over Chinese sanctions on UK

A day after UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson lambasted China for imposing sanctions on nine British individuals and four entities stating that the freedom to speak out against the human rights abuses faced by the Muslim minority of Uyghurs in China’s Xinjiang is ‘fundamental’, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has extended his support to his British counterpart and said, "Australia stands with you, Boris."

Boris Johnson on Friday took to Twitter and said, "The MPs and other British citizens sanctioned by China today are performing a vital role shining a light on the gross human rights violations being perpetrated against Uyghur Muslims. Freedom to speak out in opposition to abuse is fundamental and I stand firmly with them."

The UK PM’s reaction had come after the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Friday said that it has introduced sanctions on nine British citizens and four entities in response to London’s sanctions on Beijing over the issue of human rights violations in Xinjiang. In a statement, the prime minister said, “The Chinese Foreign Ministry has summoned British Ambassador to China to lodge solemn representations, expressing firm opposition and strong condemnation. The Chinese side decides to sanction ... nine individuals and four entities on the UK side that maliciously spread lies and disinformation.”

China to freeze properties of 9 British citizens

The Chinese Foreign Ministry had also said that they will freeze the property of all the nine sanctioned UK nationals while banning the Chinese citizens and institutions from doing any sort of business with them. The nine sanctioned individuals are Tom Tugendhat, Iain Duncan Smith, Neil O'Brien, David Alton, Tim Loughton, Nusrat Ghani, Helena Kennedy, Geoffrey Nice, Joanne Nicola Smith Finley. 

The four entities are China Research Group, Conservative Party Human Rights Commission, Uyghur Tribunal, and Essex Court Chambers. Chinese Foreign Ministry said, “China is firmly determined to safeguard its national sovereignty, security, and development interests, and warns the UK side not to go further down the wrong path. Otherwise, China will resolutely make further reactions.”

(Image: AP)