Marina Kovalenko
Chinese Ambassador to London Zheng Zeguang was denied access to the British Parliament. On Wednesday, he was unable to get into the building where he was supposed to give a speech. The ban on the appearance of a diplomat at the Palace of Westminster the day before was imposed by the speakers of both houses of the British Parliament. According to the head of the House of Commons, Lindsay Hoyle, he felt that the presence of the Chinese Ambassador would be “inappropriate.”
The ban was in response to Beijing’s sanctions imposed on March 26 against 13 British entities and individuals, including MPs and members of the House of Lords. Their assets in the PRC (if any) were frozen, and entry into the country was prohibited. The PRC Foreign Ministry then explained the restrictions by the spread of “lies and misinformation” about the situation in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The first step towards confrontation, however, was taken in Brussels and London, several days earlier by imposing sanctions on several Chinese officials for persecuting Uighur Muslims.
The Chinese Embassy in London did not hesitate in expressions, commenting on the measure of the British side. “The decision of the British Parliament reflects the narrow and limited thinking of some citizens in the UK,” – it was noted on the website of the diplomatic mission. They also indicated that they “despise” and strongly condemn such a “reckless and cowardly step.” The embassy is confident that the March sanctions were “fully justified and reasonable”, while the current measure by London violates international diplomatic protocol.
The Chinese newspaper Global Times, which expresses the government’s point of view, was not stingy with harsh statements. The publication writes that Britain, once a great power, has become a “pawn” in the hands of the United States and has lost its dignity. “Right now London is acting as if only it can impose sanctions on others, but not vice versa,” the newspaper also noted. The authors of the article called on the Chinese authorities to take a retaliatory step – in the future, prohibit the British ambassador from appearing in the House of People’s Assembly of the PRC, that is, in the building of the Chinese parliament.
