Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn will bring up China’s human rights record at Buckingham Palace state dinner
Leader of the opposition Jeremy Corbyn is planning to voice concerns over China's human rights record at a state banquet at Buckingham Palace next week.
The Labour leader will be "using the opportunity" of Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to the UK to raise the issue, and will attempt to set up a private meeting, a spokesperson for Corbyn said. So prepare for some awkward silences between mouthfuls…
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The spokesperson added: "[Corbyn was] always concerned that the government doesn't raise human rights issues".
Human rights appears to be the one area where Corbyn's foreign policy hasn't come under fire, having previously said he would never use nuclear weapons and having open links to Hamas.
Yesterday Corbyn lauded a move by Prime Minister David Cameron on cancelling a deal worth £6m with the Saudi Arabian Prison Authoirty to provide training to the Saudi Arabian Prison Authority due to their human rights record.
During the Jinping's visit he will stay at Buckingham Palace between 20 – 23 October.
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Last month the government attracted controversy when human rights weren't mentioned on chancellor George Osborne's visit to China, during which he unveiled plans to connect British and Chinese stock exchanges and push for greater links between Chinese and British firms.