On 14 December, UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs James Cleverly issued a statement concerning the violent disruptive incident against the Chinese Consulate General in Manchester. In his statement, he made irresponsible comments by distorting facts. We strongly deplore and firmly oppose this.

The facts of the incident on 16 October are very clear. It was a violent disruptive provocation deliberately staged by anti-China elements. They illegally intruded into the consulate premises and assaulted consulate officials, thus gravely undermining the safety and dignity of consulate officials. Those perpetrators were doing nothing about exercising the so-called “freedom of speech” but everything about engaging in violent disruption.

It must be pointed out that the British government failed to effectively prevent the intrusion and assault carried out by those rioters and to protect the premises and members of the Chinese Consulate General. Instead, the UK side has now chosen to side with those rioters and point fingers at the relevant Chinese consulate officials who were actually the victims. By doing so, the UK side shows no respect for justice and the rule of law, and is being most irresponsible and disgraceful. This is totally unacceptable to the Chinese side, and we have launched solemn representations with the UK.

It must be stressed that the premises and members of Chinese diplomatic and consular missions are inviolable. According to international law including the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and the relevant agreements between China and the UK, the British government has the obligations to protect the safety and dignity of the premises and members of Chinese diplomatic and consular missions. We urge the UK to reflect on itself, earnestly live up to the above-mentioned obligations, stop political manipulation, stop sheltering the anti-China elements, and ensure the inviolablility of the premises and members of the Chinese diplomatic and consular missions.

The UK side must be clear that reciprocity is an essential principle in diplomacy. Any act that undermines China’s interests will definitely be met with forceful responses.