(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) The Chinese embassy told a group of British MPs that they are not allowed to visit Hong Kong, Chairman of Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Commons Sir Richard Ottoway said Sunday.
He affirmed that the Chinese authorities warned that if he and fellow MPs attempted to travel to Hong Kong they would be refused entry.
Sir Richard, together with a number of his colleagues, planned since September to visit the former British colony to examine the protests against the interferences by Beijing in the elections of Hong Kong governors.
The British MPs also planned to probe the British-Chinese business, cultural and educational relations.
Angered by the Chinese decision, Sir Richard said: "The Chinese government is acting in an overtly confrontational manner in refusing us access to do our job." He stated that he would request an emergency debate by the House of Commons on this issue, adding that his committee will continue with the inquiry.
"We are not China's enemies. We are friends and partners. We have every intention of going there in a sensible way," BBC quoted him as saying. "The real worry about this is that it sends a signal about the direction of travel that China is going on Hong Kong. Immigration is a devolved matter to the Hong Kong authorities, and it's not for China to ban them," he added.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) said the committee was independent of government and described the Chinese decision as "regrettable.
"It is not consistent with the positive trend in UK-China relations over the past year, including the recognition during Premier Li's visit to London in June that the UK and China have considerable shared interests in respect of Hong Kong," said the spokesperson.
It is also not in the "spirit of the Sino-British Joint Declaration, concluded 30 years ago. The FCO has signalled this position to the Chinese at the most senior levels," the spokesperson added.
The Chinese authorities condemned the inquiry and charged the FCO with carrying out a "highly inappropriate act which constitutes interference in China's internal affairs."
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