UK urged to fix policy deficits toward China

Bilateral ties at crossroads; responsibility lies with UK: Chinese envoy

The UK’s China policy has two major “deficits” – a recognition deficit and a trust deficit - which are the central issue of China-UK relations, Chinese Ambassador to the UK Liu Xiaoming told the Global Times on Friday.

Liu’s remarks were made amid worsening bilateral relations and heightened rhetoric on a series of issues, including Hong Kong-related matters, the Huawei ban and Xinjiang, which have sparked concerns about the end of the “golden era” between the two countries.

“We are saddened by the current difficulties and setbacks in China-UK relations, the responsibility for such a situation lies solely with the British side,” Liu said, urging that while bilateral ties are at an important junction, the UK government should think about its attitude and policy toward China.

After the UK announced its twisted decision to ban Huawei, London has not given up challenging Beijing on other fronts. As part of Five Eyes alliance, Britain’s foreign minister Dominic Raab recently expressed grave concerns over the postponement of the Hong Kong Legislative Council election and the disqualification of four lawmaker candidates, as part of the UK’s constant interference in China’s internal affairs.

In an effort to pressure the Chinese government on Hong Kong-related matters, the British government also unveiled a new visa for Hong Kong’s British National Overseas (BNO) passport holders, offering a shelter for fleeing secessionist Nathan Law, who has been seeking vocal support from the Members of Parliament in the UK, and its informal crossparty group, which constantly provokes China on Hong Kong issues, vowing to further study the human rights situation in Hong Kong following the highprofile arrest of Hong Kong riot supporter and secessionist Jimmy Lai.

The world has already entered the 21st century, but the thinking of some politicians in the UK and other western countries is still stuck in the Cold War era, even in the colonial era, Liu said.

“By holding a Cold War mentality and colonial mindset, they are unable to view China’s development objectively and rationally; instead, they are engulfed in full anxiety and suspicion,” Liu said.

On Hong Kong-related matters, they are unwilling to acknowledge the reality that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) has returned to the Chinese mainland, Liu reiterated. Some politicians self-deemed as “supervisors” on the matter, who continue to make irresponsible remarks on Hong Kong-related affairs, have been hyping up the so-called threat of China in recent days, talking about China as if it is a hostile nation, and threatening to completely decouple from it, the official elaborated.

“Though all these noises can’t represent the majority of public opinion in Britain, they indeed create trouble and disturbances for China-UK relations,” he said.

“Given the above-mentioned wrongdoings and deeds of the British side, China-UK ties have been severely damaged. I’ve been continuously notifying the UK that China is the UK’s partner; not rival, not enemy,” Liu said, noting that China’s development is an opportunity, which is neither a challenge nor threat.

Following the decision to ban Huawei, public opinion has focused on whether the UK would suffer a “painful” retaliation from the Chinese side for its ill-founded moves on the Chinese company, which is seen as a heavy blow to business ties between the two countries. More specifically, whether China would impose equivalent sanctions on British companies such as HSBC, Jaguar Land Rover and GlaxoSmithKline.