China has defended its retaliatory sanctions on the European Union after lawmakers voted to freeze an investment deal that was agreed to late last year.
A spokesperson for China’s mission to the EU says the decision to take “countermeasures is a legitimate response to the EU’s unilateral sanctions and confrontation.”
European Parliament lawmakers voted to halt talks on ratifying the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment, because of “baseless and arbitrary” sanctions imposed by Beijing on European individuals and entities.
For now, no negotiations on ratifying the deal will be held while the sanctions are in place.
