China imposes sanctions on UK entities, individuals for ‘spreading lies’

China has imposed sanctions on several organizations and individuals in the United Kingdom for spreading “lies and disinformation” about Xinjiang.

The Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday that it had sanctioned four entities and nine individuals that “maliciously spread lies and disinformation”.

Lawmakers such as former Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith and the Conservative Party Human Rights Commission were among those targeted with the sanctions.

According to the ministry, the measures prohibit the targeted individuals and their immediate family members from entering Chinese territory. They also ban Chinese nationals and institutions from doing business with them.

The sanctions come days after Britain, the United States, the European Union, and Canada imposed sanctions on China over allegations of human rights violations.

Beijing has already slapped retaliatory sanctions on the EU.

SS