British award for Chen Guangcheng set to worsen UK-China relations
Lawmakers honour exiled blind activist as David Cameron’s government is accused of ‘caving in’ to Beijing’s pressure over economic interests
Britain's relationship with Beijing was set to chill further last night when the British Parliament gave a human rights award to blind activist Chen Guangcheng.
Chen - who escaped extra-legal house arrest in Shandong last year before seeking refuge at the US embassy in Beijing and finally making it to New York - was handed the Westminster Award for his contribution to "human rights, human life and human dignity".
Today, Chen plans to deliver to Downing Street a list of 44 senior Chinese officials he accuses of human rights abuses against him, his family and fellow activists, or who forced women to have abortions under the one-child policy.
"I will call on British Prime Minister David Cameron to slap these officials with a UK travel ban," he said in an interview with the .
He added: "David Cameron has to remember the words of [US president Franklin Roosevelt] - that he has nothing to fear but fear itself. He should not be afraid of Beijing and any threats against trade."
Those he alleges are guilty of human rights abuse, and who are on the list he intends to hand to Cameron include former Politburo Standing Committee member Zhou Yongkang , who oversaw China's security forces and law enforcement authorities, Executive Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli , and National People's Congress vice-chairman Li Jianguo , who was formerly the Communist Party chief in Shandong.
The award was presented by MPs and peers from the governing Conservative Party to the self-taught lawyer.
