Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ask the government of China to release the Catholic priests and seminarians arrested in Xinxiang in May.

We are deeply concerned about restrictions on freedom of religion or belief in China, including the persecution of Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, and Falun Gong practitioners. The Foreign Secretary has personally raised our serious concerns with his Chinese counterpart, State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, on a number of occasions, most recently on 27 May. We are also aware of the concerning reports that Catholic priests were arrested in Xinxiang in May, and will continue to monitor developments. We remain committed to working with our international partners to stand up for the rights of all religious minorities in China.