Hunt left red-faced after gaffe over wife’s nationality
JEREMY HUNT admitted to a “terrible mistake” after describing his Chinese wife as Japanese during a diplomatic mission to Beijing.
The Foreign Secretary was hoping to use the visit to boost trade links and address sensitive issues including the human rights situation in Hong Kong.
He may have hoped that his personal connection to China through his wife Lucia could help forge strong links with the Beijing government, but he ended up embarrassing himself by getting her nationality wrong.
At a meeting with Chinese counterparts, Mr Hunt said: “My wife is Japanese ... my wife is Chinese.
“Sorry, that’s a terrible mistake to make.”
Asked if Theresa May was worried about her Foreign Secretary’s confusion over China and Japan, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “No, I think he is very clear on that.”
Mr Hunt was using visit to show Britain’s commitment to deepening ties post-Brexit between the nations.
Trade, North Korea, nuclear weapons and climate change were all being discussed.
At a press conference with counterpart Wang Yi, Mr Hunt was asked about the situation in Hong Kong, which the UK handed back to China in 1997.
Under the “one country, two systems” model, Beijing promised to let Hong Kong maintain wide autonomy and civil liberties.
However, fears are growing that China’s leaders are backtracking by oppressing the political opposition.
Mr Hunt said: “We, as the United Kingdom, are very much committed to the one country, two systems approach, which we think has served both Hong Kong and China extremely well.”
Mr Wang pointedly responded: “Hong Kong affairs are the domestic affairs of China. We do not welcome nor do we accept other countries to interfere in China’s domestic affairs.”
But he insisted that “China will continue to support and will stay committed to one country, two systems”.
My wife is Japanese... my wife is Chinese. Sorry. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt on a visit to Beijing.