The head of a German think tank sanctioned by Beijing four years ago has returned from a trip to China, suggesting that travel restrictions on the organisation may be easing.
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Mikko Huotari, the executive director of the Mercator Institute for China Studies (Merics) was in Beijing from July 14 to 17, after being invited by a leading Chinese think tank.
Merics was among the European institutions hit with travel bans and asset freezes in March 2021, in retaliation for EU sanctions on Chinese officials accused of perpetrating human rights violations in Xinjiang, charges it denies.
The news comes on the eve of a high-stakes EU-China summit. It also comes the week after Beijing further loosened its restrictions on members of the European Parliament, suggesting the Chinese government may be trying to improve the mood music ahead of an event that has been mired in negativity.
“We welcome the easing of travel restrictions and hope that more engagement between researchers and think tankers will be possible in the future. We look forward to future opportunities to engage with our Chinese counterparts whether in China, at MERICS or elsewhere in Europe,” Merics said in a statement.
One of Europe’s largest China-focused think tanks, Merics researchers have been unable to travel to China for four years and EU leaders and officials have repeatedly called on Beijing to remove the sanctions.
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