Sunak pledges ‘swift and robust’ action to counter Chinese threat
BRITAIN is committed to “swift and robust action” to counter any threat to UK national interests from China, under Rishi Sunak’s updated blueprint for UK foreign and defence policy.
The “refreshed” integrated review (IR23) document says China under Communist Party rule represents an “epoch-defining and systemic challenge” to almost every aspect of government policy and the everyday lives of British people.
While the UK will seek to continue to engage “constructively” with the regime on tackling shared priorities, the review warns that this will become increasingly difficult if Beijing continues its trend towards greater “authoritarianism and assertiveness”.
The document describes the approach as a “template for mature diplomacy” between two permanent members of the UN Security Council, mirroring that adopted by key allies, including Europe, the US, Australia, Canada and Japan.
“Where it is consistent with these interests, we will engage constructively with the Chinese government, business and people and co-operate on shared priorities,” the review says.
“But wherever the Chinese Communist Party’s actions and stated intent threaten the UK’s interests, we will take swift and robust action to protect them.”
In his foreword to the review, Mr Sunak says: “China poses an epoch-defining challenge to the type of international order we want to see, both in terms of security and values – and so our approach must evolve.
“We will work with our partners to engage with Beijing on issues such as climate change. But where there are attempts by the Chinese Communist Party to coerce or create dependencies, we will work closely with others to push back against them.”
The document was unveiled as the Prime Minister was in California for a three-way summit with the United States and Australia as part of the Aukus project to develop nuclear-powered submarines for the Australian navy.
The refresh of Boris Johnson’s original integrated review from 2021 was drawn up in part in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
It highlights China’s “deepening partnership” with Russia and Moscow’s “growing co-operation” with Iran as two developments of “particular concern”.
It refers to the “threat” posed by certain actions from Beijing but does not label the Chinese state as a threat in itself, which will likely lead to criticism from “hawks” in the Tory Party.
Liz Truss had been expected to officially redesignate China as a “threat” if her premiership had not been so brief.
Mr Sunak has dialled down on his own language surrounding China since he challenged to replace Boris Johnson as Tory leader last summer. At the time, he called China the “biggest long-term threat to Britain”.
In the Commons, former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said he was “confused” as to what the UK Government’s position was as he contrasted what he said was the UK’s reluctance to impose sanctions on China compared with the US.
“Does that now mean that China is a threat or an epoch-defining challenge or a challenging government epoch or none of that?” he asked, to laughter from MPs.
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly replied: “He will see through our actions that we do respond robustly to China when it behaves in a way that we disagree but we will also attempt to steer China in a better direction.”
The review confirms plans announced overnight to increase defence spending by £5bn over the next two years – less than Defence Secretary Ben Wallace had been reportedly seeking – with an “aspiration” to raise it to 2.5% of national income “as fiscal and economic circumstances allow”.