A photo of one side of the clash at the Chinese consulate in Manchester
China has summoned 6 of its officials to Britain, including a top diplomat, two months after the attack on protesters outside the Chinese consulate in Manchester.
And he asked the British authorities to suspend the right to diplomatic immunity to allow the police to investigate the attack.
British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly expressed frustration that none of the six Chinese officials would go to trial.
Among the group of Chinese officials was Consul-General in Manchester Zeng Xuan, who denied beating up a protester.
Bob Chan, a Chinese human rights activist from Hong Kong and one of the protesters at the consulate, was injured after being dragged into the consulate and beaten by some of its employees about two months ago.
Zeng, who was in charge of the consulate at the time, denied hitting Chan, after being caught on camera, and a member of the House of Commons accused him of doing so.
Zeng later said he was trying to protect staff, adding that Chan “was insulting my country, my leader, and I thought I was doing my duty.”
The Chinese action is seen as a step to prevent the matter from escalating into a diplomatic dispute with Britain.
British officials earlier confirmed that the Chinese embassy in London had been advised that if diplomats did not agree to participate in the investigation, there would be further action.
It is likely that these measures included declaring these people “undesirable and banning them from British soil”.
But China has chosen to remove them itself, avoiding this situation.
He cleverly said that China’s move to expel Zeng and five other diplomats showed the seriousness of Britain’s reaction to the incident.
“We will continue to uphold the rule of law in the international and domestic arena, and we expect others to do the same,” he added.
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James Cleverly, British Foreign Secretary
“I am disappointed that none of these people will be prosecuted or face justice,” he continued in a written statement to the House of Commons.
“Regardless, it is good that none of those responsible for the shameful scene in Manchester are no longer part of British consular staff,” he added.
Britain had served China with a request to the six diplomats to waive their right to immunity by the end of this week, following an official request from Manchester Police.
“Today I heard that some diplomats from the Chinese mission have been deported to China, and although it took about two months, I think this is a solution to the complex diplomatic crisis,” said Shan, who was injured in the attack.
“I came to this country with my family, to have freedom, and what happened on October 16th / Last October was unacceptable and illegal, and the departure of these diplomats gives me the feeling that it’s over.”
It means diplomatic immunity Those responsible, and their families, cannot be arrested for any civil crime.
China had previously said there had been attempts to storm its consulate in Manchester.
But police responded that there were up to 40 protesters outside the consulate during the day of the incident.
He added that a group of people “came out of the consulate, dragged one of the protesters inside and then beat him, and because of our fears for the man’s safety, officers intervened and removed the victim from the consulate.” .
Former Conservative Party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said Britain should formally declare these diplomats persona non grata on its soil.
He added: “The flagrant attack on a peaceful pro-democracy activist in Manchester needs more measures, beyond allowing its perpetrators to leave Britain, uninvestigated, with their heads held high, and letting China withdraw them is not right.” .
“We should have kicked them out weeks ago,” he continued.
