Cross-party MPs have called for sanctions against Hong Kong officials involved in placing bounties on pro-democracy activists, including three based in the UK. The demand came during an urgent question in the House of Commons after Hong Kong police offered a reward of approximately £100,000 per person for information leading to the arrest of eight activists, among them Nathan Law, Finn Lau, and Mung Siu-tat, who are currently in Britain.
Conservative MP Tim Loughton challenged Foreign Office minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan over her recent meeting with Liu Jianchao, head of the Chinese Communist Party's international liaison department, whom Loughton described as 'China’s chief dissident snatcher'. Trevelyan defended the meeting, stating that frank conversations are essential in diplomacy and that she was 'extremely frank' with Liu.
Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesperson Layla Moran criticised the UK for failing to impose sanctions on those implicated in Hong Kong's democratic crackdown. She highlighted the danger to activists in Britain, citing secret 'police service stations' operating on UK soil. Trevelyan assured that extradition agreements with China have been suspended and that the UK will not tolerate attempts to silence individuals within its borders.
The minister also agreed to investigate reports that HM Revenue and Customs is sharing details of new bank accounts opened by Chinese and Hong Kong citizens with the Chinese government as part of anti-money laundering efforts, following a request from Conservative MP Jason McCartney.
