In many subtle and not-so-subtle ways the authoritarian tentacles of the Chinese Communist party are spreading. While engaging with the Chinese government and avoiding xenophobia, it is essential that liberal democracies everywhere stand up for universal values and the rule of law and hold Beijing to account for unacceptable behaviour beyond its borders.
The most flagrant recent example is in Hong Kong where Lee Bo, a British citizen and publisher of books on Chinese politics, appears to have been abducted in the territory last month and spirited into the care of the state security apparatus in mainland China.
This would be a violation of the arrangement guaranteeing the former British colony a high degree of autonomy and should be of concern to the UK government and public.