The UK government should not shirk responsibility for the attack on the Chinese consulate in Manchester, Report informs referring to an article published by the Global Times.
“Violent raids on embassies and consulates are not only serious violations of the law, but the host country should also be held accountable for the lack of security it's supposed to provide… When such a thing happens, the UK government shouldn’t shirk its responsibility,” reads the article.
“It must be emphasized that the premises and personnel of Chinese embassies and consular missions are inviolable. According to international law including the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and relevant agreements between China and the UK, the British government has the obligation to protect the safety and dignity of the premises and personnel of Chinese embassies and consular missions.”
On December 14, it was reported that China 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.
UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said the six envoys had left the country by a December 14 deadline imposed by London for them to waive their diplomatic immunity and be questioned by police over the October incident.
Greater Manchester Police launched a criminal probe after Hong Konger Bob Chan alleged Chinese diplomats subjected him to “barbaric” treatment – dragging him inside their compound to assault him – at an anti-Beijing protest. “As part of that investigation, we requested that six Chinese officials waive diplomatic immunity so they can be questioned,” Cleverly said. He added that the Chinese embassy in London had been informed of the deadline for “them to take action.”