More than 28,000 people have signed a petition calling on Liverpool to drop its sponsorship with a controversial water company.

The campaign wants the Reds to cancel a deal it struck with Tibet Water Resources Ltd (TWRL) this year which saw the firm become the club’s “official regional water partner” in China.

Critics have said that the company benefits from the Chinese government’s “brutal military occupation” of Tibet - and have suggested that deals such as the one with the club “lend legitimacy” to the occupation.

But TWRL said its plant in Tibet has led to development and employment growth in the area and said the United Nations has praised it for improving local lives.

The petition has been made on the SumofUs website - a global advocacy organisation - and has so far been signed by 28,136 people.

It asks: “Tibet Water Resources Limited (TWRL) exploits the natural resources of Tibet with the help of the Chinese military occupation. So why has Liverpool FC signed a sponsorship deal with the company?”

It claims: “TWRL is only able to take resources from Tibet because the brutal Chinese military occupation allows it to -- it owes its profits to the repression, torture and denial of political freedoms that have become commonplace there.

“In turn, its brand -- and now Liverpool FC -- lend legitimacy to the occupation, creating a cycle of violence and repression.”

Anfield stadium

Tibet is a remote territory which lies between China and the Himalayan mountains.

It is an autonomous region of the People’s Republic of China.

Many Tibetans pledge allegiance to the Buddhist spiritual leader the Dalai Lama - who has been in exile and deemed as a separatist threat by the Beijing government.

The petition page adds: “Political repression isn’t even the only reason that TWRL doesn’t make a good partner for an institution like Liverpool FC -- there are serious environmental problems, too.

Dalai Lama greets crowds in Castle Street, Liverpool
Dalai Lama greets crowds in Castle Street, Liverpool

“Bottling water from Tibetan glaciers exacerbates the existing threat to Tibet’s resources already posed by climate change and pollution -- making an already bad situation even worse.

“The Chinese government knows it can only continue to get away with repression in Tibet if its occupation has legitimacy. And associating Tibet with major global brands like Liverpool FC is a great way to normalise the brutal situation.”

Tibetans have already been protesting the agreement - announced in July - and handed out leaflets at the Reds’ opening Premier League match in August.

TWRL has strongly opposed the criticism.

Sunny Wong, Executive Director at the company, said: “Damxung County, where the Tibet Water plant is located, historically has had a very low level of economic development, with a high proportion of residents living in poverty. The establishment of the plant represented one of the first opportunities for local residents to earn a significant salary and to participate in economic activities.

“This has led to development in the area and to employment growth through ancillary businesses in areas such as logistics and services. Furthermore, we have directly improved local residents’ education and job opportunities through on the job-training in areas such as IT, operations and technical skills.”

Mr Wong referred to a 2016 United Nations report which he said “specifically recognizes that our company has helped measurably improve Tibetans’ livelihoods by providing more job opportunities, building local facilities, as well as supporting local education, medical care and poverty alleviation.”

Liverpool Football Club declined to comment.