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Tag: ENVOY

  • Beijing vows response after UK Parliament bans its envoy

    Beijing vows response after UK Parliament bans its envoy

    The reason given was that the Chinese side had earlier announced sanctions on seven UK parliamentarians…reports Asian Lite News.

    The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has strongly denounced the UK Parliament’s decision to ban China’s Ambassador to the UK from attending its events, and has vowed that it will come up with “necessary responses”, the Global Times reported.

    Analysts predicted that the responses may include temporarily terminating or suspending certain exchanges between the two countries, such as the China-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue; and meting out necessary reciprocity treatment to UK diplomatic bodies in China.

    Speakers of the House of Commons and the House of Lords made the decision to ban Zheng Zeguang, China’s Ambassador to the UK, from attending a summer reception of the All Party Parliamentary China Group, which was scheduled on Wednesday night.

    The reason given was that the Chinese side had earlier announced sanctions on seven UK parliamentarians.

    The Chinese Embassy in the UK claimed the decision reflects “the narrow and parochial mindset of some individuals in the UK… It is a shortsighted, reckless and cowardly move”.

    Zhao Lijian, a spokesperson from the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said that China strongly denounces such a move, and will be forced to come up with necessary responses, the Global Times reported.

    Zhao said that China’s sanctions on a handful of anti-China parliamentarians of the UK, announced in March, were completely justified and reasonable, adding that China always staunchly pushes back on any words or deeds that hurt China’s core interests, and that it does not tolerate being attacked in this manner.

    “This is a rare and hysteric move from the UK, since Beijing and London share established ties. It also reflected the UK’s condescending attitude towards China, which is ‘I can slap whatever sanction on you, but you cannot slap back’,” Zhao Junjie, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences’ Institute of European Studies, told the Global Times.

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  • UK envoy meets CM Thackeray, visits Ganesha idol workshop

    UK envoy meets CM Thackeray, visits Ganesha idol workshop

    In a meeting with Maharashtra CM, the High Commissioner discussed UK and Maharashtra’s relations in trade, healthcare and climate action with Uddhav Thackeray and other leaders.

    UK High Commissioner to India Alex Ellis met Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and other leaders in Mumbai and paid a visit to a Ganesh idol workshop to learn about the significance of Ganesh Chaturthi.

    He discussed the UK and Maharashtra’s relations in trade, healthcare and climate action with Uddhav Thackeray and other leaders.

    Ellis said in a tweet, “Delighted to meet with @CMOMaharashtra Shri Uddhav Thackeray and @AUThackeray to discuss ways in which the UK and Maharashtra can further work on trade, healthcare, climate change, and other areas.”

    During his visit to Mumbai from September 7-9, he also met Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray and NCP chief Sharad Pawar besides engaging with leading businesses with UK links such as Tatas, Mahindras, Piramals, and a few more.

    Interestingly, Ellis had his first vada pav while in the city and was also greeted by famous Dabbawalas who gifted him a symbolic dabba.

    Taking to Twitter, Ellis said, “Delighted to receive this beautiful tiffin box from Mumbai’s exceptional #Dabbawalas.”

    He then took a quick ride on Victoria’s electric buggy to mark World EV Day.

    Furthermore, Ellis had the most amazing experience visiting a Ganesh idol workshop to learn about the significance of Ganesh Chaturthi in the state.

    Alex also lauded India’s landmark achievements in agricultural production.

    He had a brief discussion with Pawar on issues such as COVID-19 mitigation, defence, international relations, Cricket and others.

    ‘High Commissioner for a Day’

    To mark International Day of the Girl Child, observed on October 11, the British High Commission in Delhi has invited applications from Indian women in the 18-23 years age group for an opportunity to head the mission for a day.

    To apply to be ‘High Commissioner for a Day’, applicants must record and upload a one-minute video on ‘how can young people best support tackling the global challenge of climate change?’ The video must be shared on either Twitter, Facebook or Instagram by tagging @UKinIndia and using the hashtags #DayoftheGirl. The deadline to apply is 22 September 2021.

    “The impact of Covid-19 on education around the world will be long term, particularly for girls. This is why at the UK-hosted G7 Summit earlier this year, leaders from around the world agreed ambitious global targets to get more girls into school,” Alex Ellis said.

    “Empowering and educating girls is also one of Prime Minister Modi’s central campaigns. I am delighted to note that this year nearly 60% of UK’s Chevening fellowships and 52% of the scholarships for India were awarded to women.”

    “The International Day of the Girl Child is an important moment to recognise that educating all girls everywhere is not just the right thing to do, it is one of the smartest investments we can make to build a better, more equitable world. Through the ‘High Commissioner for a Day’ competition, I want to shine a light on brilliant young women and for them to show their even younger peers in school, that anything is possible,” he added.

    The British High Commission has run the ‘High Commissioner for a Day’ competition annually since 2017. Last year’s competition was won by 18-year-old Chaitanya Venkateswaran, whose day as the High Commissioner included learning about gender representation in the media, interacting with senior police officers from Madhya Pradesh and Telangana, and launching the British Council STEM Tracer Study documenting the stories of Indian women scholars.

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  • Dhaka summons UK envoy over report on Zia

    Dhaka summons UK envoy over report on Zia

    A Bangladesh foreign ministry official said that UK report mentioning Zia was “under house arrest was contrary to the fact that she has been conditionally freed from jail.”…reports Asian Lite News.

    Dhaka on Sunday summoned the Acting High Commissioner of UK to Bangladesh to convey disappointment over an “insinuating and misleading” comment on BNP chairperson and the country’s ex-prime minister Khaleda Zia’s current status in a human rights report, media reported.

    UK envoy Javed Patel was conveyed the Dhaka’s views and disappointment with certain issues mentioned in the Bangladesh chapter of the Human Rights and Democracy Report 2020, released by the UK Foreign Office (FCDO).

    A Bangladesh foreign ministry official said that UK report mentioning Zia was “under house arrest was contrary to the fact that she has been conditionally freed from jail.”

    Zia, 76, was serving a 17-year jail term on two graft charges from February 8, 2018, while the government allowed her temporary release on “humanitarian grounds” at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic after her family met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

    But the government simultaneously set conditions requiring her to stay at her home debarred her from leaving the country and taking part in political activities being a convict with charges of “moral turpitude”.

    “The Acting High Commissioner (AHC) was told that it was grossly misleading to use the words ‘house arrest’ in reference to the current situation of Begum Khaleda Zia, Chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP),” the statement said.

    Earlier this month, Bangladesh Law Minister Anisul Huq has said former Zia has no other alternative but to confess her guilt and apologise to the President to leave the country legally.

    BNP chairperson Zia has been in jail since February 8, 2018 over the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case. On October 10, 2019, her sentence got extended by five more years after her lawyer appealed against the lower court order.

    Meanwhile, in the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case, Khaleda Zia was sentenced to seven years as a special court convicted her on October 27,2019.

    Right now, Khaleda Zia has at least 36 cases ongoing against her including the Zia Orphanage Trust Corruption Case and Zia Charitable Trust corruption case. She was shifted from jail to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University on April 1, 2019.

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