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An incident involving a scuffle between a pro-democracy protester (centre) and Chinese consulate staff in Manchester, UK, as a British police officer attempts to intervene, during a demonstration in October. Photo: The Chaser News via AFP

China removes 6 staff from UK over Manchester consulate incident, including consul general

  • British foreign minister said Beijing removed officials, including their boss, after police asked to interview them over treatment of a protester in October
  • Investigation had been under way into alleged assault of a man dragged inside consulate grounds and beaten during demonstration against President Xi Jinping
Britain

Beijing has recalled six consulate officials, including Consul General Zheng Xiyuan, after British police wanted to question them over a confrontation with a man protesting outside the Chinese consulate in Manchester in October, according to British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly.

Greater Manchester Police had asked the officials to waive diplomatic immunity to be questioned as part of their inquiry and British officials gave the Chinese embassy a deadline of Wednesday to comply, Cleverly said.

“The violence at China’s consulate in Manchester was unacceptable,” Cleverly said in a tweet.

“This demonstrates that our adherence to the rule of law, the seriousness with which we take these incidents, has had an effect and we will continue on the world stage and domestically to abide by the rule of law and we expect to do likewise,” he added.

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Protesters and staff brawl outside Chinese consulate in northern UK city of Manchester

Protesters and staff brawl outside Chinese consulate in northern UK city of Manchester

Police had been investigating the October 16 incident in which a protester was allegedly dragged inside the compound and kicked and beaten by individuals. Cleverly summoned the acting ambassador following the incident.

The incident occurred on the first day of the 20th Party Congress, which saw Chinese President Xi Jinping elected to an unprecedented third term.

Bob Chan, a Hong Kong resident who relocated to Britain and was protesting outside the consulate, claimed he was subjected to “barbaric” treatment by consulate officials during the incident.

“It has been two months since I was attacked in Manchester by staff members of the Chinese consulate,” Chan said in a statement on Wednesday.

“Today, I hear that some members from that consulate have been sent back to China. While it may have taken two months for this to happen, I believe this is one way of solving this complicated diplomatic problem.”

Pressure had been building among Tory backbenchers for the British government to take action and expel consulate officials over the incident.

But British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and senior diplomats had insisted on waiting until the outcome of Greater Manchester Police’s investigation before taking action.

“The flagrant assault on a peaceful democracy campaigner in Manchester needs more than allowing those responsible to leave the UK uncharged and with their heads held high,” said Iain Duncan Smith, a Conservative politician, co-chair of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China and frequent Beijing critic.

“Letting China take them back isn’t justice. We should have kicked them out weeks ago.”

British politicians had accused Zheng, one of China’s most senior diplomats in Britain, of ripping down demonstrators’ posters during the incident.

In an interview with Sky News at the time, Zheng admitted to being at the protest, but initially denied that he or any of his staff had attacked people during the event. However, he later admitted in the interview to pulling a protester’s hair.

“He was abusing my country, my leader, I think it’s my duty,” Zheng said in the October 19 interview. “Any diplomat, if faced with such kind of behaviour, should maintain the dignity of our country, of our people.”

‘Understanding China’ requires full resumption of exchanges: British chamber

Greater Manchester Police said on Wednesday they would continue their investigation “to understand the full circumstances surrounding the incident”.

The police had “successfully identified a number of offences including numerous assaults and public order offences as well as potential suspects and victims that we would like to speak to in connection with the incident”, Assistant Chief Constable Chris Sykes said in a statement.

Alicia Kearns, a Conservative politician and chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, said the consulate officials who left should be declared “persona non grata” and barred from coming back to Britain.

“The people of Britain rightly expect those who commit crimes on our shores to face the consequences. That is what it means to live in a country with the rule of law,” Kearns said.

“China’s diplomats who attacked protesters have fled the UK like cowards, making clear their guilt and denying justice to those protesters grievously assaulted,” she added.

Additional reporting by Reuters and Agence France-Presse

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