<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;">One of China's most senior UK diplomats was involved in violence against protesters at the Manchester consulate on Sunday, a British MP says.</span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">"What we saw was the Chinese consul-general then ripping down posters and peaceful protest," Alicia Kearns told MPs in the House of Commons.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">MPs in Parliament have privilege, allowing them to speak freely without fear of legal action.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">China has not commented on Zheng Xiyuan's alleged involvement.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But the foreign ministry in Beijing defended the actions of consulate staff.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Spokesman Wang Wenbin said people had "illegally entered" the grounds and any country's diplomats would have taken "necessary measures" to protect their premises.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In a tweet, UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said: "I've ordered the summoning of the Chinese chargé d'affaires to demand an explanation for the shocking scenes outside the Chinese consulate-general in Manchester on Sunday.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Peaceful protest is a fundamental right in Great Britain and the Chinese government must respect that."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The UK said that a meeting was held with China's chargé d'affaires - the ambassador's deputy - Yang Xiaoguang, where it was reiterated that all diplomats and consular staff based in the UK must respect the UK's laws and regulations.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The official Chinese version of what happened is at odds with video footage and statements from police. Officers had to drag back a protester from inside the consulate gate as he was being attacked.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Earlier, Ms Kearns told MPs that after Consul-General Zheng Xiyuan ripped down the placards, there was "grievous bodily harm against a Hongkonger, one of whom was hospitalised for taking part in a peaceful protest.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Some were then dragged onto consulate territory for a further beating by officials who have been recognised to be members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;"><br></span></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;">"We cannot allow the CCP to import their beating of protesters, their silencing of free speech and their failure to allow time and time again protests on British soil. This is a chilling escalation."</span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">According to a statement by the Greater Manchester Police, around 30 to 40 people had gathered outside the consulate to protest.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Shortly before 4pm a small group of men came out of the building and a man was dragged into the consulate grounds and assaulted," the statement said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Due to our fears for the safety of the man, officers intervened and removed the victim from the consulate grounds."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The consulate is UK territory, but cannot be entered without consent.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Another MP, Labour's Afzal Khan - who represents the constituency where the consulate is, Manchester Gorton - told the House of Commons he was "sickened" by the scenes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The UK stands for freedom, the rule of law, and democracy," said the Labour MP. "The quashing of peaceful protests will never be tolerated on British soil."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Khan and other MPs called for the consul-general to be declared a "persona non grata" - meaning a person who is unwelcome in the country.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Conservative MP Sir Iain Duncan Smith asked if the government would "be prepared to expel the consul-general and any of those that are found to have been part of that punishment beating and the vandalism?"</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Some MPs called for the Foreign Office to go further, including Labour's Andrew Gwynne who said: "Had these incidents happened on the streets of Hong Kong, there would have been outrage from the British government, rightly so.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"They happened on the streets of Manchester and yet we have this situation where the minister is basically sending a memo to the Chinese embassy, an offer of a cup of tea and a chat with the ambassador." BBC</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>