The Chinese Embassy in the U.K. said Oct. 19 that China had lodged formal representations over cases in which Chinese citizens were detained, questioned for extended periods and had electronic devices seized at British border controls.
The embassy said the affected travelers were entering or leaving the U.K. and included people traveling with trade delegations, visiting relatives and tourists. It said officials seized phones and other electronic devices.
According to the embassy notice, British border officials cited provisions of the Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019. The embassy characterized the detention and questioning as arbitrary and said China would continue urging Britain to end the practices.
The notice urged Chinese citizens in Britain and people planning to visit to take safety precautions, protect their belongings and privacy, and familiarize themselves with British border rules and practices.
