LONDON
\nChina has removed six diplomats from the UK, including its consul-general in Manchester, after they were accused of assaulting a Hong Kong protester in the northern English city, Britain said Wednesday.
\nUK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said the six envoys had left the country by a Wednesday deadline imposed by London for them to waive their diplomatic immunity and be questioned by police over the October incident.
\nGreater Manchester Police launched a criminal probe after Hong Konger Bob Chan alleged Chinese diplomats subjected him to \u201cbarbaric\u201d treatment \u2014 dragging him inside their compound to assault him \u2014 at an anti-Beijing protest.
\n\u201cAs part of that investigation, we requested that six Chinese officials waive diplomatic immunity so they can be questioned,\u201d Cleverly said Wednesday. He added that the Chinese embassy in London had been informed of the deadline for \u201cthem to take action.\u201d
\n\u201cIn response to our requests, the Chinese government has now removed from the UK those officials, including the consul-general himself,\u201d Cleverly noted.
\nBritain\u2019s top diplomat said London\u2019s response demonstrated its \u201cadherence to the rule of law\u201d as well as \u201cthe seriousness with which we take these incidents.\u201d
\nIn response, China\u2019s embassy to Britain issued a rebuke to Cleverly on Wednesday, saying he made \u201cirresponsible comments by distorting facts.\u201d
\n\u201cThe British government failed to effectively prevent the intrusion and assault carried out by those rioters and to protect the premises and members of the Chinese Consulate General,\u201d the Chinese embassy said in a statement posted on its website.
\n\u201cThe UK side shows no respect for justice and the rule of law, and is being most irresponsible and disgraceful,\u201d it said, adding that they had \u201claunched solemn representations\u201d with Britain over the issue.
\nIn October, the UK\u2019s Foreign Office department summoned Yang Xiaoguang, China\u2019s Charge d\u2019Affaires in London, after footage emerged backing up the claims of the pro-democracy protester.
\nSenior ruling Conservative lawmakers had accused consul-general Zheng Xiyuan, one of China\u2019s most senior UK diplomats, of being at the Manchester scene and ripping down posters during the peaceful protest.
\nThe removal of the six Chinese envoys is likely to please hard-liners on China in the Conservative party, who had demanded their expulsions and accused the UK government of appeasing Beijing.
\nMP Alicia Kearns, chair of parliament\u2019s watchdog Foreign Affairs Committee, welcomed the development, saying the six had \u201cfled the UK like cowards, making clear their guilt.\u201d
\n\u201cThe Foreign Office must now declare those who have fled persona non grata, and make clear they are never again welcome in the UK,\u201d she added in a statement.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
LONDON China has removed six diplomats from the UK, including its consul-general in Manchester, after they were accused of assaulting a Hong Kong protester in the northern English city, Britain said Wednesday. UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said the six envoys had left the country by a Wednesday deadline imposed by London for them to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":301491,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-301473","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n