Indian diaspora in UK challenges China’s ‘expansionist’ policies

Indian diaspora groups gathered outside the Chinese Embassy in London to protest against the “Expansionist Policy” of China on the Indian border.

The group, led by the Overseas Friend of BJP, gathered with placards that read “China Back Off” and “Tibet is not part of China” on July 12.

“This protest is the Indian diaspora’s effort to draw attention to the expansionist policies of China and express solidarity with our armed forces on the Chinese border,” said Kuldeep Shekhawat, President of Overseas Friends of BJP.

The protest came a day after an image was projected onto the Chinese Embassy building in Portland Place in central London, which read “Free Tibet; Free Hong Kong and Free Uyghurs”. However, it remains unconfirmed the groups behind that projection as the Indian diaspora groups have said the light display was not part of their protest.

Worrying situation

The India-China border conflict, which has claimed the lives of Indian Army officers, was described as “a very serious and worrying situation” by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson last month in the UK Parliament.

British MPs later raised concerns in the House of Commons over China’s “bullying behaviour” in the border dispute with India and the “delayed declaration” of Covid-19 and urged an internal review into the UK’s dependence on China with a view to reducing collaboration with the country.

Urgent question

Conservative Party MP Ian Duncan Smith raised the issue as part of an urgent question in the Commons on the “mistreatment” by the Chinese government of the Uyghur minority in Xinjiang province.

“Given the Chinese government’s appalling record on human rights, their attack on freedoms in Hong Kong, their bullying behaviour in border disputes from the South China seas to India, their blatant breaching of the rules-based order governing the free market and their delayed declaration on Covid-19, will the Government now initiate an internal review of the UK’s dependence on China, with a view to significantly reducing that dependence,” questioned Smith.

UK Minister for Asia Nigel Adams responded to say that the UK government has been regularly raising its concerns with China over various issues.

“On a full government review, our approach to China remains clear-eyed and is rooted in our values and interests. It has always been the case that when we have concerns we raise them, and that where we need to intervene we will,” he said.