close
Friday March 29, 2024

China summons envoys from France, Germany

By our correspondents
December 03, 2016

BEIJING: The Chinese Foreign Ministry summoned top diplomats from France and Germany after both countries honoured human rights activist Wang Qiaoling with a prestigious award, German embassy officials said on Friday.

The meeting followed the presentation of the French-German human rights award in Berlin on Thursday to Wang, whose husband Li Heping, a prominent lawyer, was detained by Chinese authorities in 2015.The French and German foreign ministers have both called for the release of Li.

Germany is known to have criticised growing repression in China in the past.  The German officials gave no further details about the meeting at the Chinese foreign ministry, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.