-
AP and AFP, Hong Kong
-
-
A British member of parliament was refused entry to Hong Kong last week, the first to have received such treatment since the former British colony’s return to Chinese rule in 1997.
Wera Hobhouse, a member of the Liberal Democratic Party representing Bath, wrote on social media platform Bluesky: “Authorities gave me no explanation for this cruel and upsetting blow. I hope the Foreign Secretary will recognize that this is an insult to all parliamentarians and seek answers from the Chinese Ambassador.”
British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Lammy on Sunday said he was deeply concerned and would be urgently raising the issue with the Chinese authorities.
British MP Wera Hobhouse of the Liberal Democrat party is pictured on a screen as she speaks during Urgent Questions at the House of Commons in London on April 26, 2021.
Photo: Reuters
The Sunday Times newspaper said Hobhouse, 65, flew to Hong Kong with her husband on Thursday on a personal trip to visit her newborn grandson, whom she was unable to see or hold.
It said she had her passport confiscated, was asked about her job and the purpose of her visit, had her luggage searched and was then taken to the boarding gate.
“When I was given the decision my voice was shaking and I was just saying: ‘Why, please explain to me?’,” the British weekly quoted her as saying.
Hobhouse said on Bluesky: “Authorities gave me no explanation for this cruel and upsetting blow. I hope the foreign secretary will recognize that this is an insult to all parliamentarians and seek answers.”
The British Consulate in Hong Kong replied to an Associated Press inquiry, saying it is aware that a UK member of parliament was denied entry into Hong Kong on Thursday and is “raising this urgently” with the city’s authorities.
There was no immediate response from authorities in Hong Kong. However, in similar previous cases, they have said they give no explanations for refusing to allow entry.
Hobhouse is one of more than 40 parliamentarians on the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China that scrutinizes Beijing’s human rights record.
Beijing objects viscerally to all such criticism and has rendered the Sino-British Agreement under which Hong Kong was turned over to Chinese rule null and void.
It has also slapped travel and financial sanctions on various Hong Kong officials who took part in the 2019 protests.
“It is deeply concerning to hear that an MP on a personal trip has been refused entry to Hong Kong,” Lammy said.
“We will urgently raise this with the authorities in Hong Kong and Beijing to demand an explanation,” he said.
