The Chinese ambassador to Rome was summoned to Italian foreign ministry on Wednesday after Beijing imposed sanctions on European individuals in response to EU sanctions on four Chinese officials over human rights abuses in Xinjiang.
A statement said that Deputy Foreign Minister Marina Sereni told Chinese Ambassador Li Junhua that "Italy reiterates its unmoveable position on the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms and expresses solidarity to the European parliamentarians, academics, think tanks and officials hit by Chinese sanctions".
The statement said that: "Italy confirms its support for the measures adopted by the EU and rejects the Chinese sanctions as unacceptable".
Li, meanwhile, told the Lower House's foreign affairs committee that "China was forced to respond to the European Union sanctions" because it was"the victim of an injustice".
"So many lies and so much fake news has been written about the supposed genocide of the Uyghurs," the ambassador said.
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