Prime Minister Keir Starmer had barely registered the U.K.’s concerns with Chinese President Xi Jinping about the plight of a jailed newspaper publisher in Hong Kong when the British press found themselves abruptly bundled out of the room.
Xi spoke first in the meeting on Monday between the two leaders and their officials at the Group of 20 summit in Brazil on Monday, hailing the „broad space for cooperation” between the two nations, including on trade, investment, clean energy and financial services. There were some pleasantries also from Starmer, before the British premier brought up his concerns over sanctioned lawmakers, human rights, Taiwan, Hong Kong and the case of former media mogul Jimmy Lai.
As Starmer mentioned those points of tension, Chinese officials stood up and ordered British journalists out of the room before the premier had finished his remarks. While the British premier’s entourage tried to resist and allow the reporters to stay, the Chinese team physically moved them out of the room.