Hong Kong protester dragged into Chinese Consulate in Manchester and beaten
Washington PostNov 26, 2022
The Facts
UK foreign office Minister Jesse Norman on Tuesday summoned China’s Charge d’Affaires in response to a protester who was dragged onto the Chinese consulate grounds in Manchester and beaten on Monday.
The protest, involving 30-40 people including British-Hongkongers, was in opposition to the Chinese Communist Party's twice-a-decade meeting of Congress. Footage showed one of the protesters being pulled onto consulate grounds, then kicked and punched by five men.
The Spin
Anti-China narrative
This abusive incident highlights China's aggressive foreign policy and is consistent with previous behavior by PRC diplomats in recent years. The move, clearly a deliberate provocation to teach protesters "a lesson," is behavior that seems in line with Xi Jinping's vision for his unprecedented third term. Such aggressive and authoritarian behavior is not acceptable in a rules-based order.
Pro-China narrative
Hong Kong has long been part of China, and those who believe in its independence must admit the fact that it's politically, economically, and culturally impossible to do so. Protesters should accept this reality so both mainland China and Hong Kong can work toward building their combined future. Outlandish incidents like this one have no place in these efforts.
