Xi Jinping's Representatives Barred From Viewing Queen Elizabeth's Lying-In-State In Parliament: Report

The Chinese delegation visiting London to attend the U.K.'s longest reigning monarch Queen Elizabeth II's funeral will not be allowed to view her coffin at the lying-in-state inside the parliament, according to the BBC.

What Happened: The House of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has reportedly refused China's access to Westminster Hall in the parliamentary estate due to Beijing's sanctions against five British MPs and two peers.

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The report noted that many parliamentarians had raised concerns about inviting Chinese representatives after Xi Jinping's government sanctioned several British politicians for criticizing alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Beijing denies any such claims and has always said that China was fighting terrorism and dubbed the detention facilities as "vocational training centers."

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told media in Beijing that she had not been aware of such developments, Reuters reported.

"What I want to say is the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II is an important event for the United Kingdom. Foreign delegations participating in the event upon invitation from the United Kingdom is a sign of respect to the Queen and the importance accorded to (relations with) the United Kingdom," she said. "As the host, the United Kingdom should uphold diplomatic protocols and proper manners to guests."

Meanwhile, Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan is expected to attend the funeral on behalf of China at the invitation of the British government.

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Photo: Courtesy of Prachatai on flickr