The European Union has imposed sanctions on four Chinese citizens, prompting reciprocal action from Beijing.

EU foreign ministers agreed to place travel and financial restrictions on four individuals it says are linked to violations of human rights in China's Xinjiang. It also targeted the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps Public Security Bureau, according to its Official Journal. Several other individuals and entities from Russia, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, South Sudan and Libya were also sanctioned on the basis of human rights violations.

China responded by targeting 10 people and four institutions from Europe and warning that it was willing to go further unless Brussels rectified its "mistake". The sanctions are the first imposed by the EU on China in more than 30 years.

Some EU leaders, including France's Emmanuel Macron, have spoken out to accuse China of human rights abuses in Xinjiang. China fiercely denies these accusations, saying its policies have promoted security and prosperity for all those living in the area. 

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The EU's action is "based on nothing but lies and disinformation, disregards and distorts facts, grossly interferes in China's internal affairs, flagrantly breaches international law and basic norms governing international relations, and severely undermines China-EU relations," a statement from the Chinese foreign ministry said.

Hungary's foreign minister criticized the EU decision in a briefing with journalists.

The Chinese individuals sanctioned by the EU are Chen Mingguo, director of the Xinjiang Public Security Bureau, as well as Wang Mingshan, Wang Junzheng and Zhu Hailun, who are said to have been involved in implementing policies in Xinjiang.

The EU citizens banned from China are all politicians or academics: Reinhard Butikofer, Michael Gahler, Raphael Glucksmann, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Miriam Lexmann , Sjoerd Wiemer Sjoerdsma, Samuel Cogolati, Dovile Sakaliene, Adrian Zenz and Bjorn Jerden.