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For the first time, the EU has imposed sanctions on individuals and organizations for violating human rights.
The account freezes and entry bans into Europe will certainly not change the dire conditions in China.
Nevertheless, they are a milestone: They are the first sanctions against China in 30 years.
It is the definitive end of that naive European illusion that trade can bring about change in China.
The opposite is the case: the CCP is using the new wealth - which is only possible through extensive business with the West - to systematically stabilize and perfect its dictatorial regime.
With the sanctions for human rights violations, the Europeans are finally showing what they have done far too little for a long time: They make it clear, beyond pompous Sunday sermons, that they care about the violation of universal values such as human dignity and freedom.
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The EU is coming very late with this, in the USA there has been a similar instrument (Magnitsky Act) since 2012. The fact that it came about at all is a great success for the EU chief diplomat Josep Borrell.
It is good that the new sanctions can be adopted more quickly and easily than the punitive measures that are part of extensive sanction packages as in the case of Russia.
But these human rights sanctions over the brutal repression of the Uyghurs in Xinjiang are only allowed to be the beginning.
It would be logical if the EU now also sanctioned Xia Baolong, governor of the CPC in Hong Kong.
Only recently, the Chinese EU ambassador Zhang Ming warned the EU against sanctions.
Europeans should think twice.
What a ridiculous noise!
Because Europe does not need to be afraid of China, which is still essentially an emerging country - albeit with a hegemonic claim.
Targeted high-tech economic sanctions against Beijing should be the next step.