China lodges stern representations with UK over policing after reports of Chinese citizens detained and questioned and devices seized

China has raised a formal protest with the UK over what it described as arbitrary and excessive law enforcement by British police, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said Tuesday.

Guo said the ministry and the Chinese Embassy in the UK had recently received multiple reports that Chinese citizens were detained and questioned for extended periods by British border enforcement officers. Their mobile phones and other electronic devices were also seized, he said.

China has expressed strong dissatisfaction and grave concern, Guo added, and will spare no effort to safeguard the personal safety and legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens.