Labour is ‘sacrificing democracy’ over China says wanted activist, 20

A YOUNG woman from Hong Kong with a £100,000 bounty on her head has accused “shortsighted” Labour of “sacrificing Britain’s democracy” over China’s proposed mega-embassy.

- By Steph Spyro DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR

Chloe Cheung, 20, has been named a “wanted person” by Hong Kong police, who issued a $HK1million reward for information leading to her capture.

In December, she became the youngest of 19 activists accused of breaching a national security law introduced by Beijing in response to huge pro-democracy protests in the former British colony five years ago.

Ms Cheung, who came to the UK in 2021 with her family under a special visa scheme for Hong Kong citizens, now looks over her shoulder every day since being added to a Chinese government list of wanted dissidents.

“I thought that when I left Hong Kong, the UK could be a safe space for me to speak out for my values, to speak out against the Chinese Communist Party that is so far away,” she said.

“But the long arm of the Chinese government is in the UK. This is a democratic country, why are we being oppressed by a government that is far, far away.

“I think the Government is not doing its best to protect us and to hold these aggressors accountable.”

And she added to the warning China’s plans for a sprawling new embassy in London near the capital’s financial district - could pose an espionage risk.