Chinese Communist Party Linked to UK Asylum Seeker Hotel Scheme
An Inter-Parliamentary Union report has revealed that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is reaping benefits from a scheme in the UK that houses alleged asylum seekers in hotels. Most of these individuals are thought to have entered the country illegally, traversing the English Channel from France.
The audit on China-UK economic relations disclosed that the CCP, along with its affiliated organizations, holds about £190 billion in UK assets. This includes various sectors, such as educational institutions, critical infrastructure like Heathrow Airport, renewable energy projects, stakes in FTSE companies, and even properties like hotels used for housing migrants.
The report highlights that three hotels designated for migrants have multi-million-pound contracts with the UK Home Office, as reported by the Sunday Times. One example mentioned is Kew Green Hotels, worth £300 million and owned by the Communist Party through the China Tourism Group Corporation based in Beijing. The company operates more than 60 hotels, including Holiday Inns in Kent and Cheshire. However, these locations faced public backlash due to anti-immigrant protests last August, spurred by a serious incident involving a 14-year-old girl and a migrant.
According to the findings, the two hotels housing migrants have generated approximately £15 million in income for Chinese businesses through their contracts with the government. Another notable mention is Campanile, a company linked to the Shanghai city government, which operates a hotel in Cardiff designated for asylum seekers starting in 2022.
More than just reaping financial benefits from housing migrants, the CCP is implicated in the means of illegal entry into the UK. It’s been noted that many of the small boats used by smuggling operations to facilitate these crossings are manufactured in China. Notably, the so-called “super dinghies” have become favored among trafficking rings because of their larger capacity, which enhances profitability. Recent reports indicate that these boats transported an average of 61 passengers this year, in contrast to just 7 back in 2018.
In December, the National Crime Agency mentioned discussions with the Chinese government regarding limiting the export of outboard motors used in these small boats, but progress seems slow. Alarmingly, the number of illegal small-boat arrivals in the UK has already surpassed last year’s total.
This news about Chinese involvement in the UK’s immigration accommodation comes as the Labor government faces sharp criticism for its perceived leniency towards China. Recently, the government, led by Starmer, was accused of avoiding the prosecution of two suspected Chinese spies to safeguard bilateral relations. Shadow Home Secretary Priti Patel criticized the Labor Party, arguing that the government is compromising on national security and economic integrity for diplomatic favors.
