China urges EU to stop 'irresponsible remarks' after statement on Bloomberg employee

[December 14, 2020]    BEIJING (Reuters) -China said on Monday the European Union should stop making "irresponsible remarks" after it called for the release of all those arrested for reporting in China in a statement on a detained Chinese national working for Bloomberg News.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin attends a news conference in Beijing, China December 14, 2020. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

China's foreign ministry said on Friday authorities had detained Haze Fan, who works for the Bloomberg bureau in Beijing, on suspicion of endangering national security.

The European Union called for authorities to grant Fan "medical assistance if needed, prompt access to a lawyer of her choice, and contacts with her family." It also called for the immediate release of all those detained in China in connection with their reporting.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a daily news conference in Beijing that Fan's legal rights and interests were guaranteed.

"China's government protects citizens' freedom of speech according to the law," Wang said.

"We urge the EU side to earnestly respect China's judicial sovereignty, and cease making irresponsible remarks."

(Reporting by Gabriel Crossley; Writing by Beijing Newsroom; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)

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