Chinatown was shut down for five hours [on 24 July] during a strike triggered by "hostile environment" immigration raids that led to one blind mute protester almost being run over by a Home Office van.

Hundreds of traders walked out at midday on Tuesday and marched to the Home Office waving placards and chanting slogans including "No more fishing raids" and "Justice for Chinatown".

No one wants to step into a pile of rubbish when you walk out from your house, not to mention a street littered with garbage.

Unfortunately this happens to the residents in the apartment blocks on the Capitol Way, Queensbury.

It is located on the edge of the borough of Brent, with a bus stop providing 2 vital connections to the tube station, an Asda Superstore, a brand new M and S, Aldi, and Wilko.

On 3 June, Co-Chair of CLD Merlene Emerson captained a team that took part in the London Hongkong Dragon Boat Race at the Albert Docks. The annual boat race was organised by the London Chinatown Lions Club and is an event which CLDs had taken part in many years ago - paddling as the "Democracy Dragons".

The Chinese Welfare Trust scratch team wearing their distinctive tee shirts with water dragon logo managed to win a place in the charity finals. The team made up of 16 paddlers and a drummer fundraised for the first Chinese speaking Admiral Nurse, specialising in caring for patients with dementia, a most worthy cause which CLD supports as well.

Here's a picture of myself with a whole host of South Cambs LibDems celebrating a historic victory. We not only took South Cambs District Council out of the hands of the Tories, we won 30 of the 45 seats and are now in control of the District. In the process, I have become the first ever ethnically Chinese Councillor in Cambridgeshire.

China's foray into the African continent probably began during the Ming Dynasty when Admiral Cheng He voyaged the coast of Somalia and on to the Mozambique Channel. With President Xi Jin Ping's Maritime Silk Road and Belt and Road Initiative, China's interest in African countries has entered a new phase, playing a significant role in its foreign, economic and geo-political strategy.

Members of LIBG and their guests were treated to a most informative and thought provoking forum at the National Liberal Club on 21 May chaired by Phil Bennion on the theme of "Chinese Influence in Africa - Who Benefits?"

Statement from Sarah Cheung Johnson in South Cambridgshire (Longstanton Ward):

"We would like to thank the wonderful team that stand behind us and have made this election victory possible. Only those who have experienced an election campaign can know the hours, hard work and dedication that goes into winning an election - even more so a patch that has never had a Liberal Democrat (and now has 2!) Across South Cambs many residents felt the need for change, for strong, active representation and to stand up for our villages The LibDems won 30 of the 45 seats and now have overall control of the District Council. This will allow us to enact real change and allow us to hold to account local government in a region already represented by a Tory run County Council, Tory Mayor and Tory MP.

Marguerita in her own words:

I have been active as a member of the Liberal Democrat party since 2003 when I was first elected as a Town Councillor for Southborough and re-elected in 2007.

I came to Tunbridge Wells as an 11 year old from Hong Kong with my parents for a better education and prospects. It was my parents who taught me the value of education. hard work, and a loving family.

"I am Larry Ngan, the Liberal Democrat candidate for the local elections on 3 May in the ward of Queensbury in Brent.

I was born in Hong Kong and studied History at the Chinese University of Hongkong. I have lived in the UK for the last 14 years and am a senior data analyst at AM Best.

After the Brexit referendum, I witnessed its impact: our society became less tolerant, and our public services will suffer from the loss of valuable work force from the EU countries.

Labour controlled Brent Council has misallocated resources, lost touch with residents and neglected the fire safety of Council housing.

I joined the Liberal Democrats in 2017 and decided to stand for the local elections too! It may be a small step, but it can be a giant leap for our Party to have an additional member on Brent Council."

Editor: Good luck Larry!

(If you would like to help in Larry's campaign please email info@chineselibdems.org.uk )

We have three Chinese Liberal Democrat candidates standing in this May's local elections and here's a little more about them.

Merlene Emerson

Merlene needs no introduction as our Chinese Liberal Democrat co-chair and Chair of the new Liberal Democrat Race Equality Policy Working Group. Here is Merlene's own introduction for the local elections where she is standing in Barnes, London.