A delegation from Hong Kong has been invited by the British government to attend a flagship arms fair in London despite a promise made by the former foreign secretary in June to halt exports of teargas to the crisis-hit territory.

The surprise invitation to the DSEI show, which showcases security and military products, was confirmed by the Department for International Trade now run by Liz Truss.

Officials tried to downplay the significance of the invite, arguing that it did not imply there would be any future arms sales to Hong Kong, but campaigners questioned whether the territory should be allowed to attend given the crisis on the streets in the former British colony.
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Andrew Smith, a spokesman for the Campaign Against the Arms Trade, said: “The Hong Kong police are using UK-made arms against campaigners right now. It is a disgrace that they have been invited to buy even more.”