LONDON: Chinese authorities have recalled six diplomats from the UK after the Foreign Office demanded that they be stripped of their diplomatic immunity for questioning by police in connection with the violent incident at the Chinese Consulate General in Manchester.
“The violence at China’s consulate in Manchester was unacceptable. 6 Chinese consulate officials, including the Consul General, are being removed from the UK following the disgraceful incident in October,” UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said in a video posted on his Twitter on Wednesday.
On October 16, a group of people reportedly dragged a Hong Kong protester into the premises of the Chinese Consulate in Manchester and beat him up. The man was hospitalized with injuries, including cuts below his eye.
The UK Foreign Ministry later demanded that diplomatic immunity be lifted from six Chinese officials for the interrogation.
Meanwhile, the Chinese embassy in the UK said that the Consul General of China in Manchester had completed his term of office within the normal rotation of consular staff.
“The Chinese Consul General in Manchester has completed his term of office and has returned to China upon instruction not long ago. This is a normal rotation of Chinese consular officials,” an embassy spokesperson said during a briefing.
Earlier, the UK Foreign Office summoned a Chinese envoy in connection with the incident.
On October 19, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said that China has made representations to the United Kingdom in connection with the “malicious riots” outside the Chinese Consulate in Manchester.
The Chinese spokesperson also said that the perpetrator entered the Chinese Consulate’s grounds, causing injuries to personnel and endangering the security of the diplomatic mission.
In addition, the spokesperson expressed the hope that the UK will ensure the proper security of the Chinese diplomatic missions and their personnel residing in its territory. (ANI)