[Central News Agency] The Chinese Consulate General in Manchester committed violence against peaceful protesters in Hong Kong in October. Consul General Zheng Xiyuan, who later confessed that he had shot and injured people, has returned to China and successfully escaped police investigation. "coward".

Dozens of Hong Kong people living in the UK protested outside the Chinese Consulate General in Manchester on October 16. People who walked out of the consulate destroyed the props. A conflict broke out between the two sides. A Hong Kong citizen was dragged into the consulate area and beaten until the British police rescue him.

Zheng Xiyuan admitted in an interview with the media on the 19th that he had committed violence against Hong Kong people who participated in the protests, but insisted that doing so was his "responsibility" as a diplomat.

Please read on...

The incident caused an uproar in British politics and society. MPs demanded that the government deport the Chinese diplomats involved, declare them "persona non grata" and ensure that criminal accountability is tight.

Martin Thorley, a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom who is concerned about China's influence activities, told the Central News Agency that the Manchester City incident has attracted the attention of many British people who are not usually interested in China or political issues. The perception does not rule out that it will ferment over time.

However, despite the "China hawks" MPs successively exerting pressure through questioning and holding press conferences, the British government adheres to the principle of "rule of law" and advocates that the incident should be rigorously ascertained as to the facts of the crime, and the so-called on-site images circulated on social media should not be easily relied on. Records have convicted people. The government respects the police's independent investigation rights and will take necessary actions depending on the evolution of the situation.

It has been nearly two months since the incident. Foreign Minister James Cleverly told the House of Commons in a written statement today that six Chinese diplomats originally stationed in Manchester, including Zheng Xiyuan, have either left the country or are about to return. China.

Ke Weili pointed out that earlier this month, the Greater Manchester Regional Police communicated to the British Foreign Office that they hoped to conduct police inquiries on Zheng Xiyuan and his five subordinates.

According to diplomatic practice, the British police can only launch criminal investigations against individuals after the Chinese side lifts the criminal immunity of those suspected of being involved in the case.

Manchester City Police therefore requested the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to convey the relevant request to the Chinese government.

Coveley said that the British Foreign Office gave the Chinese government a week to fulfill the request.

The Chinese embassy informed the British side under Beijing's instructions that Zheng Xiyuan's term of office has expired and "has returned to China"; the other five personnel have already left or will soon leave the country.

Kovili mentioned that the "Vienna Convention on Consular Relations" gives countries the right to evacuate consular personnel "at any time".

Although he is "disappointed" that relevant Chinese personnel are now unable to accept police inquiries or face judicial sanctions, Kovelli pointed out that those individuals responsible for the "shameful" incident in Manchester City are no longer legally stationed in the UK. He affirmed that.

According to the statement video released by Ke Weili, the deadline for the British side to lift the criminal immunity of relevant personnel for the Chinese side is today.

He believes that Beijing's decision to evacuate relevant personnel shows that the British side has exerted "effective" influence on China.

However, "China hawks" lawmakers are divided on such a turn of events.

Alicia Kearns issued a statement responding that the British people reasonably expect that anyone who commits a crime in the UK will have to bear the consequences. This is the true meaning of the "rule of law".

However, the Chinese diplomats who attacked the protesters fled the UK like cowards, making their guilt clear and denying justice to the protesters who were unfortunate enough to be attacked.

Kernes asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to declare the Chinese diplomats who fled the UK as "persona non grata" and to make it clear to China that they would never be welcome to enter the country.

On the other hand, the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), which once held a press conference in London for Bob Chan, a violent Hong Kong citizen, today hosted Bob Chan and IPAC co-chairman, a former conservative Party leader Smith (Iain Duncan Smith) and Afzal, a Labor Member of Parliament in Manchester and a member of IPAC.

Khan (Afzal Khan) issued a statement on behalf of China to evacuate relevant diplomatic personnel.

Afzal.

Khan said he was glad the British government was finally taking action.

Bob Chan said he believed this was the solution to a "complex diplomatic issue" and things were finally coming to an end.

However, Smith pointed out that the British side clearly did not do enough to allow those responsible for the atrocities to leave the country with their heads held high without being charged.

He mentioned that it is not justice to allow China to take back these people, "We should have driven them out a few weeks ago."

Luo Guancong, a former member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council in exile in the United Kingdom, said on Facebook that after the relevant Chinese personnel return to China, the judges will play up in the official media how they are "suppressed by foreign hostile forces", and even promoted them to become the banner bearer of "Wolf Warrior Diplomacy" .

The Chinese embassy in the UK said today that the British government not only failed to fulfill its international legal obligation to protect the safety and dignity of the Chinese consulate general and personnel, but also "favored and sheltered Hong Kong independence rioters" afterwards. China has lodged solemn representations with the UK on this .

The embassy spokesperson pointed out that Zheng Xiyuan's term of office has expired, and "he was transferred back to China not long ago", which is a normal personnel rotation.

(Editor: Chen Zhengjian) 1111215