China pressured Ukraine into withdrawing its support for a call for more scrutiny of human rights in China's western region of Xinjiang by threatening to withhold Chinese-made Covid-19 vaccines destined for Ukraine unless it did so, diplomats told The Associated Press on Friday.
Ukraine briefly joined a statement by over 40 countries, presented by Canada at the Human Rights Council in Geneva on Tuesday, urging China to allow immediate access for independent observers to Xinjiang.
On Thursday, Ukraine pulled its name off the list of supporting states after Chinese authorities warned Kyiv that they would block a planned shipment of at least 500,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccines to Ukraine unless it did so, said diplomats from two western countries.
Ukraine has agreed to purchase 1.9 million doses of CoronaVac vaccine from China's Sinovac Biotech.
In the past, China's government has been no stranger to pressuring other countries in Geneva diplomatic circles or in national capitals either to line up behind its statements or avoid backing statements that criticise, question or seek scrutiny of human rights in the country.
One of the Western diplomats called it sign of "Bare-knuckles" diplomacy by China.
A Chinese diplomat decried shortcomings in Canada's own rights record, pointing notably to abuses against Indigenous peoples.
Saturday, June 26, 2021
China pressures Ukraine at UN rights council
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