On 8 May, Chinese Ambassador to the UK Zheng Zeguang requested a meeting with an FCDO official, during which he made further representations with the UK side on the so-called verdict by a UK court on two Chinese citizens including an employee of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London, refuted the unfounded accusations of the UK side and urged the UK side to correct its mistake, stop the anti-China political manipulation, stop wantonly arresting and convicting Chinese citizens in the UK, and stop emboldening Anti-China elements.

Ambassador Zheng pointed out that the UK side used trumped-up crimes to arrest and indict Chinese citizens in the UK. The so-called conviction was the outcome of abusing the law and manipulating the judicial process by the UK side. It is nothing but a political farce. Its sole purpose is to embolden those anti-China elements who are hiding in the UK and bent on destablising Hong Kong, and to smear the Chinese central government and the Hong Kong SAR government. We are strongly against it and deplore such an act.

Ambassador Zheng stressed that the Chinese government remains steadfast in its determination to deal with those anti-China elements bent on destabilising Hong Kong and to safeguard the city’s stability and prosperity. The UK side harbours wanted criminals, and wantonly arrested and convicted Chinese citizens in the UK. This act disrespects the rule of law, and seriously violated basic norms of international relations. It has gravely undermined China-UK relations. This is totally intolerable to the Chinese side.

Ambassador Zheng urged the UK side to correct its mistake, stop the anti-China political manipulation, stop wantonly arresting and convicting Chinese citizens in the UK, and stop backing and emboldening those anti-China elements. The UK side must know that any acts aimed at jeopardising China’s interests will be met with firm countermeasures.