China slams ban on its ambassadors from UK Parliament; calls it 'Political Trick'

In a key development overseas, Beijing announced that it 'strongly condemns' the United Kingdom's choice to ban Chinese representatives from the British Congress. The ban comes to the fore as China sanctioned a handful of anti-China parliamentarians of the UK announced in March. In fact, the Chinese Ambassador to UK Zheng Zeguang was planned to attend an occasion organised by the all-party team in China, however, he was informed on a day prior that he cannot join if penalties on UK politicians continued. 

"China wants UK to revoke the ban'

Zhao Lijian, spokesman for China's Foreign Ministry informed, "China strongly condemns UK Parliament's decision banning Chinese Ambassador to the UK from attending events." 

He also declared 'China demanded the UK to immediately revoke its wrong decision and earnestly restrain the words and deeds of some Members of Parliament."

UK Parliament bans China from attending events

A UK-based media agency reported that the Speakers of the UK House of Commons and House of Lords reached a consensus that the All-party Parliamentary Group (APPG) event with the participation of the Chinese Ambassador to the UK should not take place at the parliamentary estate and that "the Chinese Ambassador should be banned from (activities held at) the parliamentary estate. Reasoning it out, the UK stated sanctions of seven of its Parliamentarians by China. 

Subsequently, the Chinese embassy denounced the move while their Foreign Ministry stated the ban reflected 'narrow and parochial mindset'. 

"It is a shortsighted, reckless and cowardly move, and the Chinese embassy strongly condemns it," Zhao Lijian lamented. 

"Sanctions completely justified and reasonable': China

In response, a Chinese embassy spokesperson said that China's sanctions on a bunch of anti-China parliamentarians of the UK were completely justified and reasonable. 

"It was a necessary response to these people who spread slanderous rumours and disinformation about China's Xinjiang and to the unilateral sanctions on relevant personnel and institutions in China by the UK side on the pretext of Xinjian-related issues," they said. 

On issues that are China's core interests, the Chinese side always responds resolutely and never tolerates wrong moves. Our firm position will never be shaken by such tricks on the part of the UK Parliament, they added.

According to China, in barring the Chinese Ambassador from attending an event in the UK Parliament upon invitation as retaliation, the UK Parliament is disregarding the fundamental interest of the Chinese and British and is ignorant of international protocol. 

"This is totally wrong and doomed to failure. We urge the handful of individuals in the UK Parliament to stop playing political trick, or they will only make things worse for themselves," the spokesperson further said. 

Why was the ban imposed?

In March, Downing Street slapped a ban on several Chinese officials pertaining to the alleged torture and mistreatment of Uighurs. In retaliation, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) imposed travel bans and asset freeze on nine MPs and two peers whom it accused of spreading misinformation about China. It is worth noting that China has consistently denied allegations of forced labour and other claims of human rights abuses in the area, which is home to about 11 million Uyghurs, a predominantly Muslim ethnic minority that speak a language closely related to Turkish and have their own distinct culture.