Jeremy Corbyn threatens to use Buckingham Palace banquet to raise human rights issues with China

Jeremy Corbyn could break with convention to use a formal state banquet at Buckingham Palace to raise human rights concerns with Chinese President Xi Jinping, unless he is given a private meeting with Chinese officials to raise concerns over political repression in the country.

It had been uncertain as to whether the Labour leader would attend the banquet in honour of the state visit of Chinese leader. However Mr Corbyn’s official spokesperson confirmed he would be attending on Wednesday, amid rising concern from human rights campaigners that the government is failing to challenge the Chinese over political repression, digital censorship and arrests of human rights lawyers in the country.

David Cameron has been working hard to make next week’s visit a success, while Chancellor George Osborne has been lobbying hard to attract Chinese investment in the nuclear industry and used a recent trip to China to call for greater financial and investment links.

The Foreign Office went so far as to say that UK-China ties have “never been stronger” earlier this week, but Mr Corbyn’s official spokesman said the Labour leader would use the visit - the first state visit from a Chinese premier since 2005 - to raise the issue of human rights.

He said Mr Corbyn would be “using the opportunity” of President Xi’s four-day visit to raise concerns, and that he was “always concerned that the government doesn’t raise human rights issues.” It is understood that the Labour leader would prefer to raise the issue in a private meeting with Chinese officials, but has not ruled out using the banquet on Tuesday to raise the issue.

His spokesman said: “He will be raising issues about human rights next week. If he gets private meeting he will be doing it in those meeting – that’s the right thing to do.”

It will be the new Labour leader’s first official visit to Buckingham Palace after he was unable to make a previous visit to the royal residence to be sworn in as a member of the Privy Council.

Mr Corbyn has taken a strong stance on human rights since he was elected, raising concerns over human rights abuses in Bahrain and successfully pressing David Cameron to drop a controversial prison deal with Saudi Arabia.

His latest intervention is at odds with the political mood music coming from London and Beijing though, which has claimed that 2015 will be a “golden year” for relations between the two countries. Last night the Chinese Embassy declined to comment on whether it was in discussion with Mr Corbyn.

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Steve Tsang, the head of the School of Contemporary Chinese Studies at Nottingham University told the Independent Mr Corbyn’s comment had the potential to “embarrass” the Chinese leadership who valued the political legitimacy they gain at home from the “pomp and ceremony” of a state visit.

He said: “I’m sure there will be Foreign office officials today who will be working hard to stress that Mr Corbyn doesn’t speak for the Government. They will need to do more than that though, because the idea of an opposition leader speaking his mind doesn’t exist in the Chinese system so it will be hard for them to understand.”

Downing Street has said it has “turned the page” in relations with China after the Prime Minister was caught up in a row when he met with a Dalai Lama three years ago, which sparked a major political backlash from Beijing. Since then the younger generation of Royals have been used to court China and Prince William visited the country in March, becoming the first high-level royal to go to the country since 1986.

However human rights campaigners say the push to cement trade deals with China, including Mr Osborne’s recent visit, has caused the government to overlook continued human rights concerns, including the recent arrest and detention of more than 240 human rights lawyers.

Allan Hogarth, Amnesty’s UK head of policy, said: “Chancellor George Osborne actually won plaudits from the Chinese state media for his ‘modest manner’ over his [lack of] criticism of human rights in the country, so we welcome Mr Corbyn’s commitment to challenge China over its many human rights abuses.”

The state visit comes after the Independent revealed earlier this month that human rights are no longer a “top priority” for the Government, as ministers put resources into supporting trade deals than tackling injustice in other parts of the world.

Human rights campaigners are currently gearing up for protests next week, which will focus of an official procession which will see President Xi Jinping travel to Buckingham Palace in an open-carriage.

A spokesman for the Free Tibet campaign welcomed the Labour leader’s intervention.

He said: “What’s needed most is for the government not to “raise” human rights as part of the diplomatic process but to make a robust public statement showing China that we aren’t selling our principles for their cash.”