World

China expels 6 British diplomats after protesters were assaulted

LONDON –

The Chinese government has dismissed a Chinese consul general and five of his staff after the attack on a Hong Kong pro-democracy protester at the Chinese consulate in Manchester, Britain’s foreign secretary said on Thursday. Five.

James Cleverly said British police wanted to question six officials about the attack on protester Bob Chan, who said masked men walked out of the consulate building during a peaceful protest. in October, dragged him into the consulate and beat him up.

Police said officers at the scene had to intervene and remove Chan, who suffered injuries to his face and back.

Subtly said the UK Foreign Office had asked Beijing to give up the diplomatic immunity of six officials to allow police to investigate the matter to question them.

“In response, the Chinese Embassy, ​​on instructions from Beijing, notified His Majesty’s Government that the functions of the Consul General in Manchester had ended and that he had returned to China,” said Cleverly. speak. He added that other staff had “left the UK or will soon do so.”

Chan welcomed the development Thursday in a statement.

“It has been two months since I was attacked by employees of the Chinese Consulate in Manchester,” he said. “What happened on October 16, 2022 is unacceptable and illegal, and the withdrawal of these Chinese diplomats leaves me feeling closed.”

The incident was captured on video, which has increased tensions between the UK and China. China’s Foreign Ministry asserts that Chan entered the consulate illegally and that Chinese diplomatic staff have the right to maintain security at their premises.

Hong Kong is a former British colony, and Britain has provided shelter to tens of thousands of the city’s residents since the widespread crackdown on civil and political rights there following a wave of anti-Beijing protests in 2019. China has declared its commitment to London to uphold those rights until 2047 – a document registered with the United Nations – is void.

Last month, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that the “golden era” in the UK’s relationship with China was over in his first major foreign policy speech, describing authoritarianism. China’s rise is a “systemic challenge to our values ​​and interests”. Some British politicians have called for the expulsion of Chinese diplomats after the incident.

In response to the British request, the Chinese Embassy in the UK issued a statement denying any wrongdoing and saying that Cleverly had made “irresponsible comments by distorting the facts.”

It repeated its argument that the protesters “illegally entered the consulate premises and attacked consular officials, thereby seriously undermining the safety and dignity of the officials.” consular office.”

China has “launched solemn representations with the UK”, it said, implying that retaliatory action was possible.

“The UK side must clearly understand that reciprocity is an essential principle of diplomacy. Any action that undermines China’s interests will inevitably be met with a strong response,” the statement read.

——


This story has been corrected to correct the spelling of the protesters’ names. It’s Chan, not Chen.



Source by [author_name]

news7h

News7h: Update the world's latest breaking news online of the day, breaking news, politics, society today, international mainstream news .Updated news 24/7: Entertainment, Sports...at the World everyday world. Hot news, images, video clips that are updated quickly and reliably

Related Articles

Back to top button
Immediate Peak