A UK Member of Parliament was refused entry upon visiting Hong Kong to see family. On the 14th, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian responded, stating that immigration matters fall within the scope of national sovereignty, and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) government has the right to handle entry cases according to relevant laws and policies.
The mentioned MP is 65-year-old Liberal Democrat and member of the European Parliament and the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, Wera Hobhouse.
A spokesperson for the SAR government replied to media inquiries, stating that it is the consistent policy of the SAR government not to comment on individual cases. When handling each immigration case, the immigration department will process it according to relevant laws and policies. Immigration officers have the responsibility to inquire of individuals to determine their purpose of entry. Individuals wishing to enter should be clear about their past actions; if they refuse to answer questions about their purpose of entry, it does not help in processing their entry.
According to a report by The Sunday Times, Hobhouse, along with her husband, was in Hong Kong on the 10th to visit their newborn grandchild, but was stopped and questioned upon entry, including about her work and reason for visiting Hong Kong. Hobhouse's luggage was also searched, and her passport was confiscated. After being detained for 5 hours, Hobhouse, accompanied by four Hong Kong immigration officers, was escorted to the gate and deported back to the UK on another flight, while only her husband was allowed to enter.
Hobhouse is a member of the UK Liberal Democrats, as well as a member of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China at the European Parliament. On the 13th, in an interview with the BBC, she stated that she had not made high-profile criticisms of Chinese affairs, adding, "I am just defending our values, and if China is now using this to threaten me and prevent me from speaking out for human rights, freedom, and democracy, then that's really terrible."
UK Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly, expressed deep concern about the incident on the 13th, stating that they would urgently address the matter with the Chinese government.
The mentioned MP is 65-year-old Liberal Democrat and member of the European Parliament and the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, Wera Hobhouse.
A spokesperson for the SAR government replied to media inquiries, stating that it is the consistent policy of the SAR government not to comment on individual cases. When handling each immigration case, the immigration department will process it according to relevant laws and policies. Immigration officers have the responsibility to inquire of individuals to determine their purpose of entry. Individuals wishing to enter should be clear about their past actions; if they refuse to answer questions about their purpose of entry, it does not help in processing their entry.
According to a report by The Sunday Times, Hobhouse, along with her husband, was in Hong Kong on the 10th to visit their newborn grandchild, but was stopped and questioned upon entry, including about her work and reason for visiting Hong Kong. Hobhouse's luggage was also searched, and her passport was confiscated. After being detained for 5 hours, Hobhouse, accompanied by four Hong Kong immigration officers, was escorted to the gate and deported back to the UK on another flight, while only her husband was allowed to enter.
Hobhouse is a member of the UK Liberal Democrats, as well as a member of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China at the European Parliament. On the 13th, in an interview with the BBC, she stated that she had not made high-profile criticisms of Chinese affairs, adding, "I am just defending our values, and if China is now using this to threaten me and prevent me from speaking out for human rights, freedom, and democracy, then that's really terrible."
UK Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly, expressed deep concern about the incident on the 13th, stating that they would urgently address the matter with the Chinese government.