Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of the People’s Republic of China about the continued incarceration of the journalist Zhang Zhan, who attempted to question Communist Party officials in Wuhan about the origins of COVID-19; and what response, if any, they have received.

There are severe restrictions on media freedom in China, and the situation for journalists is deteriorating. In July 2023, the UK raised its concerns about censorship and media freedom in China, including the case of citizen journalist Zhang Zhan, in its 2022 Human Rights and Democracy Report. British diplomats have attempted to attend trials of citizen journalists and rights activists in China.

More generally, we regularly raise the human rights situation in China directly with the Chinese authorities at the highest levels. The Foreign Secretary did so in his introductory call with China's Foreign Minister on 5 December.