[makomk]

Well, the big thing holding up a trade deal with China right now is that China decided to sanction several MEPs and the European Parliament's human rights subcommittee for scrutinizing their forced labour camps in Xinjiang, which the European Parliament of course considered an attack on democracy itself. So if France used its sway to get the EU to align with China, that'd basically demonstrate that the French government's feelings had more power than the pretence of EU democracy.

[mytailorisrich]

> now is that China decided to sanction several MEPs and the European Parliament's human rights subcommittee

It should be noted that this was in retaliation to the EU imposing sanctions on a number of Chinese officials.

[RalfWausE]

Now... i would think it would go on the line of "change through rapprochement", and even this would not be THAT far fetched. China may be a dictatorial regime, but its an dictatorial regime that values good trade deals and making money. So getting concessions on not genociding the Uigurs (at least not in a way the world can be witness) are becoming more easy.

[Chris2048]

> getting concessions on not genociding the Uigurs

wouldn't this encourage future human-rights violations as "leverage" for concessions?