‘I stand firmly with them’: UK Prime Minister condemns China’s sanctions against UK MPs for highlighting human rights abuses in China
Staff Reporter
March 28, 2021
‘I stand firmly with them’: UK Prime Minister condemns China’s sanctions against UK MPs for highlighting human rights abuses in China. Photo/Facebook/Tim Loughton
London: UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday invited some of the MPs including RT. Tim Loughton to Number 10, Downing street for discussion on China’s imposed sanctions on nine UK citizens including five MPs yesterday.
“This morning, I spoke with some of those who have been shining a light on the gross human rights violations being perpetrated against Uyghur Muslims. I stand firmly with them and the other British citizens sanctioned by China,” the PM tweeted.
Following the European Union imposed sanctions against four Chinese officials involved in running internment camps for hundreds of thousands of Uyghurs in the region of Xinjiang last week, Rt. Tim Loughton led a cross-party group of 15 Parliamentarians who are members of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China called on the UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs Rt. Hon Dominic Raab on 25 March 2021 to issue sanctions on additional two Chinese officials name Chen Quanguo and Wu Yingjie for alleged human rights abuses in both Xinjiang and Tibet as per new report from Tibet Advocacy Coalition revealed Chinese government’s ‘cradle to grave’ policies of displacement, control and cultural erasure in Tibet. Both the individuals had been omitted from sanctions on Chinese officials announced by the EU and UK Government earlier this week.
On 26 March, China imposed sanctions on nine UK citizens including five UK MPs for “spreading lies and disinformation” about China’s horrendous treatment of Tibetans and Uyghurs. The five MPs include Rt. Sir Iain Duncan Smith, Hon. Nusrat Ghani, Rt. Tim Loughton, Lord David Alton and Baroness Helena Kennedy, who are all members of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China. Rt. Tim Loughton is also a co-chair of All Party Parliamentary Group for Tibet and Lord David Alton is a Vice chair of APPGT. China immediately imposed sanctions on them after they had called on UK Secretary of State to issue sanctions on two Chinese officials the day earlier.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson through his statement in the tweet and meeting with the MPs today sent clear message to the Chinese government that the UK stands with the MPs and call on stop gross human rights abuses in China. PM tweeted on 26 March: “The MPs and other British citizens sanctioned by China today are performing a vital role shining a light on the gross human rights violations being perpetrated against Uyghur Muslims. Freedom to speak out in opposition to abuse is fundamental and I stand firmly with them.” (https://www.independent.co.uk/…/brexit-news-latest…)
Also Minister of State for Asia at Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Mr. Nigel Adams summoned Chinese Charge d’ Affaires Yang Xiaoguang following China’s sanctioning of 9 British individuals and 4 entities. In a press release yesterday, A Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office spokesperson said: “Today the Chinese Charge d’Affaires, Yang Xiaoguang, was summoned to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. Minister for Asia, Nigel Adams MP, made clear Beijing’s decision to impose sanctions on British individuals and entities is unwarranted and unacceptable.
“The Minister noted that China has chosen to sanction individuals and entities that are seeking to shine a light on human rights violations and that today’s actions would not distract attention away from those very violations taking place in Xinjiang.’’
Rt. Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP said, “Those of us who live free lives under the rule of law must speak for those who have no voice. If that brings the anger of China down upon me then I shall wear that as a badge of honour.”
Rt Tim Loughton MP also spoke to Sky News following his sanctions by China. “It will only refortify the determination of us, who want to call China out for its abuses”, he said.
Lord David Alton issued statement after being sanctioned by China. In his statement, he said “The CCP’s attempts to silence its critics – including Uyghurs in Xinjiang, democrats in Hong Kong, and dissidents across the Mainland, now includes UK Parliamentarians, lawyers and the BBC.
I have met dissidents and activists hunted down, intimidated, and bullied, by the CCP. Hosted the blind human rights activist Chen Guangcheng – who spent 4 years in CCP prisons – and hosted a visit to Liverpool by the Dalai Lama – who has spent 60 years in exile.
Xiaobo Liu understood the nature of the CCP’s ideology and rightly asserted that “Freedom of expression is the foundation of human rights, the source of humanity and the mother of truth.”
– filed by OOT London