BFF-21 China abandoning path to openness, says Switzerland

633

ZCZC

BFF-21

SWITZERLAND-DIPLOMACY

China abandoning path to openness, says Switzerland

GENEVA, Aug 2, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – China is moving away from the path
of openness and the West will respond more decisively if it continues
to do so, Switzerland’s foreign minister told a Sunday newspaper.

Economic liberalisation has not been matched with political
liberalisation and human rights breaches are on the rise, Ignazio
Cassis told SonntagsBlick.

“We are seeing China stray from the path of openness,” he told the weekly.

“This means that Switzerland, too, must defend its interests and
values more robustly, for example by strengthening international law
and the multilateral system.”

Cassis said that in 70 years of relations with China, Switzerland
had established a “constructive but critical” relationship with
Beijing.

“The rule of law and human rights have always been part of our
dialogue,” he said.

Cassis added: “Now we realise that the story is more turbulent than
we thought. Human rights violations are on the increase. We want to
protect these rights.”

Beijing’s controversial new national security law radically
increases its control over Hong Kong.

The city is supposedly guaranteed certain freedoms and autonomy in a
“One Country, Two Systems” deal agreed ahead of its 1997 handover from
Britain.

“If China abandons the ‘One Country, Two Systems’ principle in the
case of Hong Kong, it also affects many Swiss companies that have
invested there,” said Cassis.

“If China sticks to its new course, the Western world will react
more decisively.”

BSS/AFP/MRU/2159hrs