Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the well-being and whereabouts of Bishop James Su Zhimin; and what response they received when they last raised his incarceration with the government of China.

The environment for freedom of religion or belief across China is restrictive, which includes the persecution of Christians such as Bishop Su.

This Government will champion freedom of religion or belief for all overseas. We will work to uphold the right to freedom of religion or belief through our position at the UN, G7 and other multilateral fora, and through bilateral engagement.

The UK Government last raised Bishop Su's case with the Chinese authorities in 2015. We urged the authorities to provide information on Su's whereabouts and his health condition. Given the absence of any charges ever having been brought against him and his age , we urged the authorities to remove all restrictions on his freedom of movement and to allow access by members of his family.