London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, May 31, 2025

Chinese envoy has left UK after ‘disgraceful scenes’ in which man allegedly assaulted

Chinese envoy has left UK after ‘disgraceful scenes’ in which man allegedly assaulted

China’s Consul General in Manchester has left Britain after “disgraceful scenes” in which a man was allegedly assaulted after a protest outside the Chinese Consulate in the city, James Cleverly said on Wednesday.

Zheng Xiyuan and five of his staff had already departed from the UK or would do so shortly, the Foreign Secretary told the Commons.

They left or were going after the Foreign Office asked Beijing to waive their immunity so they could be interviewed by police in Manchester about the incident, he added.

The Chinese authorities were given one week to “comply” with the request.

“In response, the Chinese Embassy, acting on instructions from Beijing, notified His Majesty’s Government that the functions of the Consul General in Manchester have come to an end and he has returned to China,” said Mr Cleverly.

“The Embassy has further notified us that the other staff involved in the incident who the Police wish to interview have either left the United Kingdom or will shortly do so.

“I am disappointed that these individuals will not be interviewed or face justice.

“Nonetheless, it is right that those responsible for the disgraceful scenes in Manchester are no longer – or will shortly cease to be - consular staff accredited to the UK.”

Greater Manchester police launched an investigation in October after social media images showed “what appeared to be completely unacceptable behaviour by a number of individuals near the entrance to the consular premises,” he added.

The footage appeared to show a Hong Kong pro-democracy protester being dragged inside the grounds of the diplomatic mission and assaulted.

The Foreign Secretary said: “The right of free expression - including the right to protest and to speak one’s mind - is absolutely essential to our democratic life.

“We have been clear with China from the outset that we were prepared to take firm action should the police determine that there was a case to charge officials for their involvement in the incident.”

He added that a “certain standard of behaviour” was expected from all foreign diplomats and consular staff “regardless of their privileges and immunities”.

The Vienna Convention on Consular Relations allows States to withdraw members of a consular post at any point, even if they face a possible police probe.

1. Relations between Britain and China have hit new lows recently, with Rishi Sunak declaring that the ambition to create a “golden era” of relations with Beijing is over amid the concerns over the country’s human rights record, president Xi Jinping’s authoritarian regime and its military and foreign policy aims, and its spying operations.

2. Responding to Mr Cleverly’s statement, Alicia Kearns, the chair of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, said: "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.

3. "The Foreign Office must now declare those who have fled persona non grata, and make clear they are never again welcome in the UK."

4. The decision of the Consul General and the other staff to be withdrawn by Beijing, rather than expelled if they were found to have committed any crimes, means that a tit-for-tat response from China is less likely.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on iPhones Amid Dispute with Apple CEO
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
Liverpool Car Ramming Incident Leaves Multiple Injured
Australia Faces Immigration Debate Following Labor Party Victory
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Macron Dismisses Viral Video of Wife's Gesture as Playful Banter
Cleveland Clinic Study Questions Effectiveness of Recent Flu Vaccine
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Junior Doctors Threaten Strike Over 4% Pay Offer
Labour MPs Urge Chancellor to Tax Wealthy Over Cutting Welfare
Publication of UK Child Poverty Strategy Delayed Until Autumn
France Detains UK Fishing Vessel Amid Post-Brexit Tensions
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
Nigel Farage Pledges to Reinstate Winter Fuel Payments
Boris and Carrie Johnson Welcome Daughter Poppy
×