- A British member of parliament claims that one of China’s most senior ambassadors stationed in the United Kingdom was involved in violence against demonstrators at the Manchester consulate
- Alicia Kearns told members of parliament in the House of Commons that what they witnessed was the Chinese consul-general tearing down posters and disrupting a peaceful protest.
- Members of Parliament (MPs) enjoy privilege, which enables them to speak their minds freely in the chamber without worrying about being prosecuted.
A British member of parliament claims that one of China’s most senior ambassadors stationed in the United Kingdom was involved in violence against demonstrators at the Manchester consulate on Sunday. Alicia Kearns told members of parliament in the House of Commons that what they witnessed was the Chinese consul-general tearing down posters and disrupting a peaceful protest.
Members of Parliament (MPs) enjoy privilege, which enables them to speak their minds freely in the chamber without worrying about being prosecuted. China has not issued a statement regarding the allegations made against Zheng Xiyuan. However, the foreign ministry in Beijing has come out in defence of the acts taken by consular personnel.
Spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Tuesday that people had “illegally entered” the grounds and any country’s diplomats would have taken “necessary measures” to protect their premises.
The Chinese chargé d’affaires in the United Kingdom, Yang Xiaoguang, was called in by the United Kingdom’s Foreign Office after the events at the Chinese embassy. Yang Xiaoguang is the deputy to the ambassador, who is not currently present in the United Kingdom. On the other hand, an official was dispatched in place of the deputy.
According to a statement released by the Foreign Office on Tuesday, it was emphasised once more at the meeting that all diplomats and consular personnel based in the UK are required to obey the laws and rules of the UK.
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The official account of what took place in China is inconsistent with both the camera footage and the statements made by the police. After being dragged inside the gate of the consulate, the demonstrator was beaten, and the officers had to pull him back while he was being attacked.
On the other hand, China’s foreign ministry stated on Wednesday that it had lodged a complaint with the British government, stating that several of its workers had been wounded during the “illegal entry to the Chinese consulate-general in Manchester.” It demanded that more be done by Britain to ensure the safety of Chinese diplomats stationed in the UK.
Ms. Kearns explained to the members of parliament on Tuesday that when Consul-General Zheng Xiyuan tore down the posters, there was “grievous bodily damage against a Hongkonger,” one of whom was taken to the hospital for taking part in a peaceful protest.
“Some were then dragged onto consulate territory for a further beating by officials who have been recognised to be members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
“We cannot allow the CCP to import their beating of protesters, their silencing of free speech and their failure to allow time and time again protests on British soil. This is a chilling escalation.”
According to a statement by the Greater Manchester Police, around 30 to 40 people had gathered outside the consulate to protest.
“Shortly before 4pm a small group of men came out of the building and a man was dragged into the consulate grounds and assaulted,” the statement said.
“Due to our fears for the safety of the man, officers intervened and removed the victim from the consulate grounds.”
The consulate is UK territory, but cannot be entered without consent. Another MP, Labour’s Afzal Khan – who represents the constituency where the consulate is, Manchester Gorton – told the House of Commons he was “sickened” by the scenes.
“The UK stands for freedom, the rule of law, and democracy,” said the Labour MP. “The quashing of peaceful protests will never be tolerated on British soil.”
Mr Khan and other MPs called for the consul-general to be declared a “persona non grata” – meaning a person who is unwelcome in the country.
Conservative MP Sir Iain Duncan Smith asked if the government would “be prepared to expel the consul-general and any of those that are found to have been part of that punishment beating and the vandalism?”
Some MPs called for the Foreign Office to go further, including Labour’s Andrew Gwynne who said: “Had these incidents happened on the streets of Hong Kong, there would have been outrage from the British government, rightly so.
“They happened on the streets of Manchester and yet we have this situation where the minister is basically sending a memo to the Chinese embassy, an offer of a cup of tea and a chat with the ambassador.”
