China official faces grilling on Brit arrest

CHINA’S UK ambassador has been summoned to the Foreign Office over the arrest of a BBC journalist.

Officials will “demand a full explanation” from Zheng Zeguang on Edward Lawrence’s detention.

The cameraman was held and allegedly beaten while covering Covid protests in Shanghai.

Foreign Office minister David Rutley told the Commons yesterday: “The arrest of a BBC journalist while covering the protests in Shanghai is a deeply disturbing and wholly unacceptable situation.”

Chinese officials had claimed Mr Lawrence was arrested “for his own good” in case he caught Covid from the crowds.

But the BBC said: “We do not consider this a credible explanation.”

DRAMA Lawrence is held