ARLENE Foster and Michelle O'Neill's department has said it is not in the "public interest" to release minutes of a conference call in which it was claimed they endorsed Hong Kong's draconian security laws.
The first and deputy first ministers' office continues to argue it would harm international relations if Stormont's record of the discussion with Belfast's Chinese Consulate was disclosed.
The latest refusal to publish the minutes was issued by Tim Losty, director of Northern Ireland's trade bureau in China – who took part in the disputed video call.
In August, The Irish News revealed that a report by the consulate claimed the ministers had said they "understand and respect" the controversial legislation imposed by China.
The Executive Office (TEO) did not initially deny the claim, instead only confirming a "courtesy call" took place.
As pressure mounted, it subsequently said this did not reflect the ministers' comments during the video call. The report on the consulate's website was later changed to remove the controversial statement.
DUP leader Mrs Foster tweeted that her position on Hong Kong was the same as the British government, while Sinn Féin vice-president Ms O'Neill said she "made it very clear that I supported the 'One Country, Two Systems' international agreement".
The new security laws, which give China more powers over Hong Kong, have sparked protests and have been internationally condemned as a brutal crackdown on human rights.
British foreign secretary Dominic Raab has said the Hong Kong legislation "constitutes a clear and serious breach" of the Joint Declaration between the UK and China of 1984.
In response to Freedom of Information requests, TEO said releasing the minutes "would be prejudicial to relations between the UK (NI) and China".
However, it sought more time to consider whether disclosure would be in the public interest.
In his response, Mr Losty said they appreciate that publication "could increase public understanding of our relationship with China".
However, he said there is a "strong public interest in ensuring the UK (NI) and partners are able to conduct our international activities effectively" and releasing the minutes could be perceived as a "breach of trust".
"In balancing where the public interest lies, the department considers that the public interest considerations against disclosure are judged predominant and the public interest would be better served by non-disclosure of the information," he added.
TEO did reveal, however, that seven senior Stormont representatives took part in the video call in late July.
As well as Mrs Foster and Ms O'Neill, also present were Sinn Féin junior minister Declan Kearney, Mr Losty and senior officials Andrew McCormick, Donal Moran and Karen Wilson.
Maurice Frankel, director of Campaign for Freedom of Information, said there appeared to be a "strong public interest" in favour of disclosing the minutes.
"The Chinese Consulate put out their account of the conversation and the office of the first and deputy first minister have then denied that account. That creates a public interest in knowing what the truth of the situation is," he said.
Mr Frankel said it was not usual for ministers or officials who are the subject of FOI requests to be involved in determining whether the information should be disclosed.
"The independence comes not from asking an independent official to take the decision, but by going to the information commissioner," he added.
For years Stormont has worked to develop links with China, including the executive setting up a trade bureau in Beijing in 2014.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, ministers have liaised with Chinese authorities in a bid to secure Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for the north's health workers.
Almost 60,000 face masks and other items of PPE were donated by Chinese authorities to Stormont in the months before Mrs Foster and Ms O'Neill's disputed conference call.
