Chinese delegation is BANNED from viewing the Queen lying-in-state

China hit back today after the Parliamentary authorities banned its delegation from viewing the Queen’s coffin.

All heads of state visiting London for the funeral on Monday have been invited to pay their respects to the late monarch in Westminster Hall before her funeral.

China’s president Xi Jinping was invited to Monday’s event but is instead sending a delegation led by vice-president Wang Qishan. 

However, House of Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle has denied a request for the Chinese group to enter the ancient heart of British democracy.

Sir Lindsay has maintained that Chinese state officials should not be able to enter Parliament after sanctioning MPs for condemning human rights abuses against Uighurs. 

The step drew a sharp response from Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning today. Although stressing she had no official information, Mao said that as host the UK should ‘follow the diplomatic protocols and proper manners to receive guests’. 

Asked about Liz Truss’s view on the issue, a No10 spokeswoman said: ‘Admission to Parliament is a matter for Parliament.’ 

MPs subject to reprisals from China, including Tory former leader Iain Duncan Smith and Tim Loughton, have slammed the ‘extraordinary’ decision to extend an invite to the funeral.

An insider told POLITICO that the Chinese delegation being allowed inside Westminster Abbey but not Westminster Hall would demonstrate that Parliament was again ‘taking a significantly tougher stance against Beijing’ than the rest of the state.

Representatives of Russia, Belarus and Myanmar have not been invited to Monday’s funeral, while Syria, Venezuela and Taliban-ruled Afghanistan are also being snubbed

MI5 previously issued an unprecedented warning that an alleged Chinese spy has infiltrated Parliament to interfere in UK politics – and allegedly boasted of lobbying ‘more than 480 MPs’.

And China’s ambassador to the UK Zheng Zeguang has been barred from Parliament since 2021 after MPs and peers were sanctioned by Beijing. 

Angry Tory MPs have pointed out that Russia, Belarus and Myanmar have been banned from the funeral.

They argue that China should be blacklisted like other countries facing claims of human rights abuses.

The House of Commons has declared that Uighurs and other minorities in the Xinjiang region are being subjected to genocide. 

A number of them have written to Sir Lindsay and his Lords counterpart, Lord McFall of Alcluith, to seek assurances that Parliament’s ban will be upheld. 

However, Vice-President Wang is set to attend the Westminster Abbey service on Monday along with other world leaders such as US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron.

Former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said it was ‘astonishing’ that Chinese officials would be welcomed at the Queen’s funeral on Monday

China’s Vice-President Wang Qishan is set to attend the Westminster Abbey service along with other world leaders such as US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron

In a letter to Sir Lindsay earlier this week, Sir Iain and Mr Loughton, along with crossbench peer Lord Alton and Labour’s Baroness Kennedy, warned against giving the delegation access.

‘We are greatly concerned to hear that the Government of China has been invited to attend the state funeral next week, despite other countries Russia, Belarus and Myanmar being excluded,’ they wrote.

‘Given that the United Kingdom Parliament has voted to recognise the genocide committed by the Chinese Government against the Uighur people it is extraordinary that the architects of that genocide should be treated in any more favourable way than those countries who have been barred.’

Sir Iain said it was ‘astonishing’ that Chinese officials would be welcomed at the Queen’s funeral and described it as ‘project kowtow all over again’.

‘How can they ban Belarus, Russia and Myanmar and not say no to China?’ the ex-Cabinet minister said.

‘They have a huge record of human rights abuses, including what we believe to be genocide, smashing churches and persecuting Christians.’

Mr Loughton said it was ‘inconceivable that at such an important and sombre occasion as the state funeral of the Queen, that representatives of the Chinese Communist Party should be invited to attend on the same basis of other nations who have not been condemned for their genocidal acts’. 

According to the South China Morning Post, Vice-President Wang is expected to arrive in London on Sunday ahead of the Queen’s funeral.

On Saturday, China’s President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to King Charles on his accession to the throne.

He said he was ready to work with the new monarch to improve mutual understanding and friendship between the UK and China.

Representatives of Russia, Belarus and Myanmar have not been invited to Monday’s funeral, while Syria, Venezuela and Taliban-ruled Afghanistan are also being snubbed.

North Korea, Nicaragua and Iran have been invited only at ambassadorial level.

No10 said invitations to the Queen’s funeral were a matter for Buckingham Palace.

‘It is for them to set out their guest list and, as is convention, those we have diplomatic relations with are invited in the main,’ the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said.