Starmer vows to remain ‘clear-eyed’ over national security as he flies to China | Foreign policy
The UK government will remain “open-minded and realistic” about the national security threat posed by China, Keir Starmer said as he traveled to Beijing to improve relations with the economic powerhouse.
The prime minister promised “stability and clarity” in his approach to Beijing after years of what he described as “inconsistency” under the Conservatives, as Western powers turned to China in search of economic stability due to concerns that the United States could no longer be a reliable partner.
Starmer’s trip comes amid tensions between Britain and its close ally the United States over Donald Trump’s threat to seize control of Greenland and his criticism of the Chagos Islands agreement.
Downing Street said the UK would act in its national interests at a time when events abroad continue to affect people at home and global instability increases. He will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang in Beijing on Thursday for talks.
While Starmer angered opposition politicians with his decision to green-light a new mega embassy in London last week, he has faced criticism domestically for trying to find a solution in relations with China while the country remains a national security threat to the UK.
China has also been accused of trying to recruit informants in parliament, harassing Hong Kong pro-democracy activists in the United Kingdom, suppressing criticism from an academic at a British university and participating in cyberattacks.
Downing Street said Starmer would maintain “guardrails” on national security while discussing economic ties with Chinese leaders. But they said he would not trade one for the other and would raise areas of disagreement, including human rights violations.
The Prime Minister argued that Britain cannot ignore the economic opportunities presented by China, the world’s second largest economy and Britain’s third largest trading partner, supporting 370,000 British jobs.
He vowed to take a more pragmatic stance as he became the first UK leader to visit Beijing in eight years. “For years our approach to China has been inconsistent, blowing hot and cold from the golden age to the ice age. But like it or not, China is important to the UK,” he said.
“As one of the world’s largest economic players, a strategic and coherent relationship with them is absolutely in our national interest. This means not ignoring the challenges they pose, but engaging with them even where we disagree.”
Conservatives say Starmer should not travel to China. Priti Patel, the shadow foreign secretary, said: “The evidence that China poses a serious threat to our national security is overwhelming and it is clear that Keir Starmer will go to China without any clout. He lacks the backbone to defend Britain and is bending over backwards to appease Beijing.”
“Starmer has already surrendered to the CCP [Chinese Communist party] They discussed plans to set up a spy hub super embassy in the heart of our capital and agreed to hand over British sovereign territory and £35bn of taxpayers’ money to an ally of China in the Chagos agreement.
“Britain cannot afford for him to make any further concessions or remain silent on China’s crackdown on dissidents like Jimmy Lai or the CCP’s attempts to undermine our democracy.”
But a No 10 source said: “Burying our heads in the sand and refusing to engage would be a stunning dereliction of duty. It would make British people less safe, deprive us of opportunities and undermine our ability to tackle global challenges in areas such as health and climate.”
They noted that Trump met with Xi in October and plans to visit China in April. French President Emmanuel Macron has visited China three times since the beginning of 2018, and German leaders have visited China four times, but no British prime minister has visited China in the same period.
Starmer will be accompanied by a delegation of around 60 British businesses and cultural organisations, including HSBC, GSK, Jaguar Land Rover and the National Theatre, on his three-day visit to Beijing and Shanghai.
Trade Minister Peter Kyle, who will also be on the trip, said: “For a decade there has been a serious lack of engagement needed to seize the opportunity for a better relationship with China.
“We want to see trade between us flourish. From financial services to advanced manufacturing and the global energy transition, the UK’s strengths are increasingly aligned with the rapidly developing Chinese economy.
“The government’s first duty is security, and we best protect ourselves not by closing the door but through active participation and pragmatic cooperation.”
After his trip to China, Starmer will go to Tokyo to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
