The government is making a mistake in turning a blind eye to China’s plans to send a high ranking politician responsible for crushing democratic freedoms in Hong Kong to the King’s coronation. Han Zheng, who was appointed President Xi’s deputy last month, is due to represent China at the historic event on 6 May.
In choosing him, Beijing is guilty of a calculated display of contempt for the values of democracy and freedom. The move should have been rebuffed in the strongest terms; instead the government has adopted a softly-softly approach that is tantamount to appeasing the Chinese leadership.
It is blindingly obvious that Han Zheng should not be allowed anywhere near the coronation
China can send who it likes to the coronation, explained James Cleverly, the foreign secretary, as if it was all a fuss about nothing. This sends all the wrong signals to Beijing. Cleverly is right to say that China is at liberty to do as it pleases.
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