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UK calls in China envoy as diplomat involved in ‘beating of protesters’

The UK government has called in a China envoy as it emerged a high-ranking diplomat appeared to have been involved in the shocking beating of a protester in Manchester.

UK police are investigating the incident, which occurred during a demonstration against Chinese President Xi Jinping outside the China embassy.

Police were forced to enter the consulate grounds to rescue a man who they said “was dragged” inside and assaulted by several men who have been recognised as members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

British MP Alicia Kearns, the new head of parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, said China’s Manchester consul general, Zheng Xiyuan “had full sight, and was quite possibly involved, in the assaults”.

Speaking in parliament, she described the incident as a “chilling escalation”.

“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,” she said.

Ms Kearns said the Chinese consul-general was also seen ripping down posters.

After that, there was “grievous bodily harm against a Hongkonger, one of whom was hospitalised for taking part in a peaceful protest”.

The UK has summoned China’s charge d’affaires to explain the incident.

The UK’s foreign office said it was extremely concerned about what it called “apparent scenes of violence”.

“The Foreign Secretary has issued a summons to the Chinese Charge d’Affaires at the Chinese embassy in London to express His Majesty’s government deep concern at the incident and to demand an explanation for the actions of the consulate staff,” UK foreign office minister Jesse Norman told parliament.

The meeting would take place later on Tuesday (local time), Mr Norman said.

“All those on our soil have the right to express their views peacefully, without fear of violence,” he said.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said: “Disturbing elements illegally entered the Chinese Consulate General in Manchester and endangered the security of Chinese diplomatic premises.”

“Diplomatic institutions of any country have the right to take the necessary measures to safeguard the peace and dignity of their premises,” he added.

The protest, involving 30-40 people including Hongkongers now resident in the UK, took place at the start of a twice-a-decade congress of China’s ruling Communist Party in Beijing at which Xi is widely expected to win a third leadership term.

Footage posted by the BBC showed a man in a black cap and ponytail being hauled through a gate into the consular grounds, where he was kicked and punched by five men as he lay on the ground.

The victim spent the night in hospital for treatment and an investigation is ongoing, police added in a statement.

The man, whose first name is Bob, is in his 30s and emigrated to the UK from Hong Kong recently, according to a friend close to him.
Interviewed by broadcaster Sky News, Bob said he feared for his life and showed cuts to his face and bruises on his body after the assault.

“They are like gangsters, you know, doing things like gangsters. It shouldn’t be like that. It’s not in China, you know. This is the UK,” Bob told the news channel.

The incident was triggered when several men came out of the consulate to take down protest banners, including one with the slogan: “Heaven will destroy the Chinese Communist Party” and a caricature of Xi wearing a crown.

-with AAP

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