1. CHINA, HUMAN RIGHTS AND
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS.
The E.U.Arms Embargo. A case study.

2. The Structure
 Role of Human rights in international relations
 A brief history of human rights (and their
violations) in china between 1949-1989.
 Movement leading up to the event in the 80s.
 China’s relationship with EU. A brief history.
 The event and its coverage in western media.
 Immediate reaction by the western nations.
 The fall in EU-China relations.The arms
embargo.
 Arguments within the EU.

3. Generations of human rights
 Civil and political rights
 Economic, social and cultural rights
 Groups rights
 The liberal and realist states differ on the
priorities to be given.
 Universal declaration of human rights,Vienna
convention.

4. Human rights in China before
1989.
 The Great Leap Forward
 The cultural revolution
 The Hukou system
 One child policy
 Capital punishment
 What led to the protests in 1989?

5. Hu Yaobang
 Initially a Mao loyalist.
 Was also a close associate of Deng Xiaoping.
 Was instrumental in healing China after the
cultural revolution.
 Served as general secretary of the party between
1982-1987
 Favored a more autonomousTibet.
 Was sympathetic to the liberal intelligentsia in
China. Lost favour within the party and was
forced to resign.

6. The case of Zhao Zhiyang
 One of the most important leaders responsible for the pro-
democracy movement.
 Was a close associate of Deng Xiaoping
 Responsible for rapid economic reforms, first in Sichuan,
then all over China.
 Was himself a victim of the cultural revolution
 Believed that economic growth was linked to
democratization.
 Proposed a separation of the party and state.
 Was the general secretary of the party between 87 and 89.
 Were the free-est years in the history of contemporary
china.
 Was involved in theTiananmen square protests.

7. The Tiananmen square
protests
 Started brewing since the death of HuYaobang
 Students from various universities decided to
protest against the forced resignation and
mourn his death.
 Students assembled at theTiananmen square in
groups of increasing sizes starting from April.
 Angered by the remark made in People’s Daily.
 Martial Law declared by May 20.

8. The response by the party
 After the martial law was introduced, the army started
making attempts to enter the city.
 The 27th and the 28th units from outside Beijing were
employed.
 On June 4th, the PLA opened fire on the crowds standing at
the square and within minutes hundreds were killed.
 Tanks were used in the crushing of the protests.The tanks
literally crushed people by treading over the bodies.
 Protestors tried to fight against the army.
 There were blockades around the square and it was as if the
army was looking to maximize deaths.

9. Media Coverage
 The protests were very well covered by national
media initially and the news of protest spread like
wildfire.
 There were mini protests in hundreds of cities and
students travelled to Beijing to participate.
 Mikhail Gorbachev’s visit.
 Hundreds of foreign journalists present at the
square.
 One of the first events to be covered in such minute
detail.
 TheTank Man. One of the 100 most influential
people of the world-TheTime.

10. Reaction by the west
 Shocked at the audacity with which the protests
were crushed.
 Were largely perceived as a statement by the
Communist party against democracy.
 A boost to the anti-communist paranoia.
 India asked the press to keep the coverage to
bare-minimum.
 The E.U. cancelled all loans and deals and issued
an embargo against arms trade with China.
 Influenced public opinion.

11. China
and
European
Union
 Relationship established in 1975, although Sweden had established
relations in 1950.
 Signed aTrade and EconomicCooperation agreement in 1985.
 Immediately after the 4th June violence, some members EU froze all
relations.
 12 EU members meet on June 27th to adopt a declaration, with wide
ranging measures againstChina.
 After a phase of full isolation from world community, China’s
economic and political significance made EU establish contacts once
again.
 In October 1990, the European Council and Parliament decided to
gradually re-establish bilateral links with China.

12. Arms Embargo
 Issued in June 1989, only EU embargo adopted before Maastricht
Treaty was signed in 1992.
 Different interpretations by different countries.
 To deny China the capability to be able challenge US superiority in
region, to prevent an arms race and to deter China from adopting a
belligerent position onTaiwan.
 Japan has also pressurized EU to maintain the embargo.
 US has a interest in maintaining stability in the region, while EU does
not. But EU is involved in strategic relationship with US through NATO.
 China does not connectTaiwan question with the EU Relations.
 The initial purpose of addressing the violent repression of the pro-
democracy movement has broadened into improving human rights in
China.The purpose of the embargo keeps shifting and expanding.

13. Debates on the Embargo
 Imposing an embargo on a strategic partner was seen by
many in China and within the EU as an anomaly.
 France, Germany and Italy make moves for lifting the
embargo in 2003.
 US objected to the process.
 Formal willingness along with ‘Toolbox’.
 In March 2005, the Chinese People’s Congress adopted the
“anti-secession law”.
 In April 2005, the European Parliament, by 431 votes in favour
to 85 votes against, decided not to support a lifting.
 China was asked to satisfy three conditions for withdrawal of
embargo.
 Human rights situation in China was still a concern for the
European Commission.
 The embargo debate has been discreet.

14. Different Countries
Different Views
 France’s approach is that the EU arms embargo covers lethal military
equipment and major weapon platforms.
 The U.K. interprets the embargo as merely including “lethal weapons that
are likely to be used for internal repression”.
 Germany has included the embargo in its national legislation, which
implies that exports of a purely military nature are strictly limited.
 The Czech Republic does not permit exports of lethal weapons to China.
 Sweden does not allow any exports of military equipment to the China.
 Thus, contrary to what could be expected, EU countries’ arms exports to
China have increased since the embargo was adopted in 1989.

15.  Predominantly trade relationships, with very formal bilateral security dialogs.
 Bilateral trade was worth 370 billion euros in 2009.
 Ambiguous situation on embargo,Tibetan riots and Xinjiang did not help either.
 Arguments for removing the ban: It will help EU increase exports, is not considered
an efficient instrument and China’s improved behavior (domestically and
internationally). It will also improve competitive advantage of EU.
 China wants its options to diversify, remove the US embargo, persuade EU not to
sell weapons toTaiwan and to develop technology.
 Arguments for keeping the ban: China has not improved, it should not be
strengthened, sensitive technology might leak, Russia may increase supplies,
Taiwan and other factors, China may re-export and EU may lose a political tool.
China
and
European
Union
Today

16. References
 Jerker Hellström :The EU Arms Embargo on
 China: a Swedish Perspective.