UK’s Ongoing Foreign Policy Challenge: Navigating Relations with China

The perennial foreign policy challenge facing the United Kingdom, how to engage with China, has resurfaced prominently in the news. It is a dilemma that has never truly gone away but has regained attention due to recent developments, including the arrest of two individuals under the Official Secrets Act. These arrests were accompanied by claims, reported in the Sunday Times, that a parliamentary researcher had been involved in espionage activities on behalf of China. To complicate matters further, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was sitting down with Chinese Premier Li Qiang during the G20 summit in Delhi shortly after the newspaper published its story.

During this meeting, Rishi Sunak addressed the issue, marking it as a priority for discussion. The encounter was described as “business-like” and lasted approximately 20 minutes. It signals a willingness on the part of the UK government to engage candidly and directly with China when necessary, which, in turn, requires more dialogue and communication than has occurred in the recent past.

Over the past decade, the UK’s relationship with China has experienced significant swings. From the time when former Prime Minister David Cameron shared a pint with Chinese President Xi Jinping less than eight years ago to the current state, which is characterized by a deep freeze in relations. There has not been a substantial face-to-face meeting between President Xi and a UK prime minister for more than five years. Rishi Sunak has taken steps to thaw the diplomatic ice, seeking to bring a sense of balance to the UK’s approach to China.

Government ministers often describe their approach as “clear-eyed,” aiming not to appear naive but to maintain a realistic stance in their interactions with China. However, there are voices within the Conservative Party, well-connected MPs, who believe the government’s approach is becoming too lenient, and this latest news emboldens their viewpoint. Prominent among these figures are former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith and former Prime Minister Liz Truss, who made a visit to Taiwan in May. Taiwan, though functioning independently since 1950, faces Chinese claims of sovereignty, and there are concerns about a potential invasion.

Recent diplomatic interactions further illuminate the complexities of the UK-China relationship. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly’s visit to Beijing last month underscored the view that isolating the world’s second-largest economy would be a mistake. Although there are no publicly scheduled trips involving the foreign secretary or the prime minister at the moment, there are those within the UK government who remain open to the possibility.

While some senior government officials find the grumbling of certain Tory colleagues irksome, they are keen to emphasize that these colleagues’ views represent a fringe perspective. They argue that the UK’s approach to China is in harmony with that of its allies, such as Australia and the United States. The Aukus defense pact, which includes London, Canberra, and Washington, is often cited as a symbol of this alignment. Notably, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is set to visit Beijing this autumn, marking the first Australian leader to do so since 2016. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to China in June further underlines this point.

However, the question remains: is the approach of allies necessarily the right one for the UK? This ongoing debate will likely gain momentum in light of recent events, and it may persist even if the Labour Party wins the next general election. Shadow business secretary Jonathan Reynolds succinctly captured the dilemma, acknowledging that while there are areas where the economic relationship with China can be beneficial, managing the political relationship becomes challenging when confronted by “appalling and shocking allegations.” The UK’s path forward in its dealings with China remains a complex and evolving foreign policy challenge.