Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin speaks at a news conference in Beijing, on Dec 14, 2020. (Photo/fmprc.gov.cn)
China on Monday urged the European Union to respect China's judicial sovereignty and stop making irresponsible remarks on the case of a Chinese citizen, who is suspected of engaging in criminal activities endangering China's national security.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin made the remark as he confirmed that compulsory measures in accordance with law were taken by the Beijing National Security Bureau against a Chinese national surnamed Fan, who works for Bloomberg News.
The case is currently being investigated, and Fan's rights and interests are fully protected, Wang said in response to the EU's call to ensure Fan's access to medical assistance, a lawyer and her family.
A spokesperson for the Chinese Mission to the EU responded on Sunday that the lawful handling of the relevant issues by the Chinese authorities is entirely the country's internal affair, in which no other country or organization has any right to interfere.
In another development, Wang urged Washington again on Monday to stop politicizing trade issues and stop abusing national power and national security concepts to suppress foreign companies.
He made the remarks after Nasdaq said on Friday it will remove shares of four Chinese construction and manufacturing companies from indexes it maintains in response to a US order restricting the purchase of their shares.
The move came several days after the FTSE Russell index said it would delete the shares of eight Chinese companies. S&P Dow Jones Indices also took a similar move last week.
Wang said that China's capital market is opening up at a faster rate, and international investors are enjoying greater convenience in buying Chinese stocks.
"Being excluded from some international indexes will not prevent international investors from investing in these companies through other means and sharing the dividends of China's development," he said.
China opposes the unjustified crackdown on Chinese companies by the US, which violates its self-claimed status as the champion of market competition and international trade rules, he said, adding that the practice will damage the interests of investors from various countries, as well as the interests and image of the US itself.
"The Chinese government will continue to firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies," he added.
