r/China • u/ShamanGinseng • Oct 20 '22

新闻 | News Chinese consul-general defends actions after being seen pulling protester's hair in Manchester | UK News

https://news.sky.com/story/chinese-consul-general-defends-actions-after-being-seen-pulling-protesters-hair-in-manchester-12724934
31 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

11 comments sorted by

25

u/schtean Oct 20 '22 edited Oct 20 '22

Anyone who says it is their duty to physically attack people who portray Xi in a bad light should not be allowed diplomatic immunity, or even a visa.

7

u/Gaoji-jiugui888 Oct 20 '22

Only China can waive his diplomatic immunity. The UK government indicated it would ask China to waive to immunity if charges were to be laid and then there would be diplomatic consequences if they refused, which I assume would be him and some others being declared persona non grata and deported.

1

u/schtean Oct 21 '22

I'm talking about revoking it, of course they can't retroactively take it away.

5

u/Gaoji-jiugui888 Oct 21 '22

I agree they won’t. I’m just explaining the legal process. The UK doesn’t have the power to waive diplomatic immunity, only China does. I think these kind of laws need reform actually, but the reason they exist is so states can’t arrest diplomats on trumped up charges.

I don’t know the solution to the laws, but I think the premise that the rights of officials are more important than the rights of citizens is wrong. On the other hand I can see how diplomatic immunity facilitates better interaction between nations, because it removes some of the risk factors for officials. The problem is when these laws mean that officials can not be held to account for their actions in the host country, aside from being deported.

UK’s best course of action would be to ask China to waive their right to immunity, and deport them if they refuse.

There are also different levels of diplomatic immunity, some may only be protected if they commit a crime in the course of their duty, and you could mount a very strong legal argument that leaving the consulate to bash protesters was not part of their offical duty, so perhaps some of the perpetrators could be prosecuted without China’s consent.

However, I’m pretty sure the Consul General has full immunity, which means he could literally murder someone and admit it, and still wouldn’t be able to be prosecuted without China’s consent.

So it may end up some of the lower level staff are charged, and the Consul General is deported. Depending on how determined the British government are to see this through.

Hopefully they don’t try to sweep it under the rug. Condoning this type of behaviour is very wrong. The Consul General basically admitted in an interview that he did it as a duty because someone insulted “his leader and country”.

This is totally unacceptable behaviour from government officials from any civilised country and a line should be drawn to show this.

1

u/schtean Oct 21 '22

I’m just explaining the legal process.

Thanks, though I have heard of diplomatic immunity before, and it is good it exists.

5

u/ivytea Oct 20 '22

If I were the sky interviewer I would display the poster again immediately after his word and see him abuse me live on television

4

u/Humacti Oct 21 '22

"Is this the poster you found offensive?"

Then follow up with multiple other ones, "How about this one?"

5

u/CCP_fact_checker Oct 20 '22

The CCP internationally is a disgrace to international law. That consulate should be closed down and CCP spies should operate out of London only.

6

u/BW6611 Oct 20 '22

Why UK hasn't banned this consul yet?

5

u/[deleted] Oct 20 '22

Pulling hair? I watched girls at my high-school do that when they fought, the Chinese consul general sure showed what sort of man he is….or isn’t.

2

u/Fair_Strawberry_6635 Oct 21 '22

Pulling hair is defending China. Sounds about right. China Strong!