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British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said China poses a “systematic” challenge to UK values and interests as his government condemned Beijing after a BBC journalist was beaten while covering Shanghai protests.
In his first major foreign policy speech, Sunak said the so-called “golden age” of the UK’s relationship with China was over, “with the naïve idea that trade together would automatically lead to social and political reform”.
The United Kingdom “will need to evolve our approach to China” as a result, he said in his speech at the Lord Mayor’s Banquet in London, adding that Beijing is “consciously competing for global influence using all the levers of state power”.
“Let’s be clear, the so-called ‘golden age’ is over, along with the naïve idea that trade will lead to social and political reform,” Sunak said, referring to former finance minister George Osborne’s description of Sino-British relations. 2015.
His government would prioritize deepening trade and security ties with Indo-Pacific allies, he said, adding that “economics and security are inseparable” in the region.
Some in Sunak’s Conservative Party have criticized the prime minister, describing him as less hawkish towards China than his predecessor Liz Truss.
When running against Liz Truss for the top job, he promised to get tough on China if he won, calling the Asian superpower the “number one threat” to domestic and global security.
However, a planned meeting between Sunak and Chinese President Xi Jinping at this month’s G20 summit in Bali fell through, and last week London banned Chinese-made security cameras in sensitive government buildings.
“We know that China poses a systemic challenge to our values and interests, a challenge that will intensify as it moves towards an even greater dictatorship,” he said, referring to a BBC statement that one of its reporters was attacked by Chinese police. was attacked.
“Of course, we cannot ignore China’s importance in global affairs – issues like global economic stability or climate change. The US, Canada, Australia, Japan and many others also understand this.
The speech came as tensions between the two countries escalated after the arrest of Ed Lawrence, a BBC correspondent working in China, who was arrested at a Covid lockdown demonstration in Shanghai and detained for several hours.
The UK public broadcaster says he was assaulted and kicked by police.
Following his release, Lawrence tweeted on Monday to thank his followers, adding that he believed “at least one local citizen was arrested after trying to stop the police from beating me”.
BBC statement on what happened to me in Shanghai last night while doing my job.
I understand that at least one local citizen was arrested while trying to stop the police from beating me.
Thank you so much for the kind words and messages of concern. https://t.co/weoDAMakvO
— Edward Lawrence (@EP_Lawrence) November 28, 2022
UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly described the incident as “deeply disturbing”.
“Freedom of media and freedom to protest must be respected. No country is immune,” he tweeted.
“Journalists should be able to do their work without intimidation.”
Hundreds of people took to the streets in China’s major cities on Sunday in a rare outbreak of public anger against the state over its commitment to zero Covid.
China’s foreign ministry said on Monday that Lawrence did not identify himself as a journalist.
“Based on what we learned from the relevant Shanghai authorities, he did not identify himself as a journalist and did not voluntarily present his press credentials,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said.
He told the international media to “abide by Chinese laws and regulations while in China”.
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