In July 2014, we launched an inquiry into the UK's relations with Hong Kong, 30 years after the signing of the Joint Declaration. As part of this inquiry, we planned to visit Hong Kong to speak to a wide range of interlocutors about the UK-Hong Kong relationship. The Chinese and Hong Kong authorities informed us that they considered this to be interference in China's internal affairs and they urged us to halt our inquiry. We replied that the Joint Declaration was a legitimate subject of inquiry and that our work was focused on the policies of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, as part of the UK Government. We declined to end our inquiry, considering that it would be an abrogation of our responsibilities to the House.
On 28 November, the Chinese Deputy Ambassador informed us that the Chinese government would take any necessary measures to prevent the Committee from visiting Hong Kong, forcing us to postpone our visit. It was made clear that we would be prevented from entering Hong Kong, despite the fact that, as UK nationals, we did not need a visa for entry. We consider the ban by China on our visit to Hong Kong in 2014 to be unprecedented, and we see it as an obstruction to the conduct of our parliamentary duties. We will continue to engage with the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities in the hope that the trip can be rescheduled. 3. On 2 December the House of Commons held an Emergency Debate on China's ban on our visit.[1] Those who took part were unanimous in expressing concern about the ban, which was described as "an extremely serious occurrence"[2] and an insult to the House of Commons.[3] We agree. In his response, the FCO Minister the Rt Hon Hugo Swire said that the decision to bar the Commit
We thank the FCO for its efforts to assist the Committee and we welcome the contact it has already had with senior ministers and officials in China about the ban. However, we consider that the Minister's reply did not go far enough, given the gravity of the circumstances and the insult to the House of Commons and to the UK as a whole. We call on the Government to respond more robustly to this unprecedented act by the Chinese government. We recommend that the FCO raise this matter with its partners in the European Union. In particular, we recommend that the Government summon the Chinese Ambassador in London to the Foreign Office, and make formal written protests to its counterparts in Beijing and Hong Kong. 1 HC Deb 2 Dec 2014: Col 162 Back 2 HC Deb 2 Dec 2014: Column 196 [Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown] Back 3 HC Deb 2 Dec 2014: Column 171 [Sir Gerald Kaufman] Back 4 HC Deb 2 Dec 2014: Column 203 Back 5 HC Deb 2 Dec 2014: Column 205 Back 6 See letter of 4 December, appe