UK should not ‘pull shutters down’ on China relationship, says Foreign Secretary
James Cleverly said it is in the national interest to take a ‘nuanced’ approach towards the country ahead of delivering a major speech next week.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has reportedly warned that the UK should not “pull the shutters down” on China, suggesting it would be counterproductive not to “engage closely and regularly” with Beijing.
The minister insisted it is in the national interest to take a nuanced approach towards the country, ahead of delivering a major speech next week on the bilateral relationship.
In an interview with The Guardian after the G7 summit of foreign ministers in Japan, he said: “China is big, it’s influential, it’s important. It has a huge technological heft.
“It has an incredibly important role to play in environmental issues, economic issues, and so we have got to – and therefore we will – engage closely and regularly with China, because it would be really, really, really counterproductive not to do so.”
I get why a number of my colleagues are hawkish. But it’s not in their interest or my interest or anyone else’s interest to just pull the shutters down on this relationship
But Mr Cleverly added that the Government would still hold Beijing to account on areas of “serious disagreement”, and indicated that the UK could join other countries in blocking China from joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
“It is a group of countries which value high standards, environmental standards, ethical standards, product standards … and we have no intention of allowing those standards to be diluted,” he said.
Mr Cleverly’s comments could anger Tory backbenchers, many of whom hold a more aggressive stance on China.
It comes after former prime minister Liz Truss urged ministers to ensure Beijing can never join the Indo-Pacific trade bloc – concerns which were echoed by former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith.
Ms Truss had been expected to designate China as a “threat” during her short-lived leadership, but Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has instead described the nation as a “systemic challenge”.
Mr Cleverly told The Guardian: “I get why a number of my colleagues are hawkish.
“But it’s not in their interest or my interest or anyone else’s interest to just pull the shutters down on this relationship, because China will carry on carrying on whether we engage with them or not.”
The Government’s updated blueprint for UK foreign and defence policy – the “refreshed” integrated review published last month – described China under Communist Party rule as representing an “epoch-defining and systemic challenge” to almost every aspect of Government policy and the everyday lives of British people.