China blocks outspoken liberal MPs Andrew Hastie & James Paterson from study tour

In a recent unfolding of events, two Liberal MPs were denied permission for their study tour because of their “frankness about the Chinese Communist party”. The two Liberal MPs Andrew Hastie and James Paterson in a statement on November 15 said that their request for the study tour has been rejected by the Chinese Government because they are outspoken about the Chinese Communist Party.

Study tour denied

In the statement, the two MPs also stated that the organisers of the trip China Matters also released a statement which confirmed that the Chinese embassy did not permit Hastie and Senator Paterson for their study tour to Beijing. China Matters is a think tank organisation that aims to promote healthy relations between Beijing and Canberra. The organisation said that the promotion of the study tour before its commencement was one of the leading factors why the Chinese government decided to reject the plea of the MPs. 

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'It will facilitate opinionated talks behind the doors'

In a statement issued by the organisation it said that it is unfortunate that the names of the MPs who were invited for the study tour to be held in December became public before the commencement of the tour. It further supported the MPs and said that the invitation was accepted by the politicians to engage in the bilateral relations and inculcate a deeper understanding of the People’s Republic of China, at the same time use the platform to share their opinions and views with PRC interlocutors. They said that the issue received a lot of media attention which created an environment that could no longer serve the purpose of low-key discussions and will facilitate opinionated talks behind the doors. 

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MPs critical of the Chinese regime 

Both the MPs, Hastie and Paterson have been criticising the Chinese regime for human rights violations against Uighurs in Xinjiang province at the same time trying to impose their soft powers in the universities of Australia

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