Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the detention of Xing Hongwei in China.

We are aware of reports that author Xing Hongwei has been detained. The FCDO has previously highlighted the detention of Early Rain Covenant Church members and we continue to closely monitor the severe restrictions on freedom of religion or belief in China. More broadly, we regularly raise the human rights situation in China directly with the Chinese authorities at the highest levels. Most recently, the Foreign Secretary did so in a meeting with his Chinese counterpart on 20 September.