European leaders have recently expressed concerns with China's human right's policy, saying that religious freedom must be ensured before economic sanctions can be lifted.
On Tues. Tony Blair expressed hope that China could change basing his judgment during meetings with Wen Jiabao, the Chinese premier, on his visit to China when he had received straight answers than in the past.
"There was no desire to escape this topic," he said. "There was a general sense of engagement."
The European Union and China have reached a textile trade deal at a summit this week. Beijing would buy European Airbus planes while the EU said it would give Beijing technology to curb global warming. But China's key demand, an end to the 1989 EU arms export ban imposed after China's crackdown on Tiananmen Square democracy demonstrators, was rejected over human rights concerns.
The European Parliament are still "deeply concerned" at China's restriction on religious freedom in which "Christian clergy and lay people are enduring increased arbitrary arrests, torture, unexplained disappearances, penal servitude, isolation and re-education camps."
The resolution, voted by 78 votes to five with one abstention, asked Beijing to supply information about missing and jailed Catholic clergy, listing their names.
Marios Matsakis, Cypriot Liberal deputy said, "Recently, due to international pressure, the Chinese government has into effect new regulations in religious affairs but it is already abundantly evident that these changes do not go far enough."
