If you want to feel really gloomy, think back to the beginning of the 1990s. The West had won the Cold War. The Gorbachev era seemed to suggest that Russia was embarking on a path of stability and democracy. There were indications that the Chinese leadership was interested in cautious moves towards international legality. Other […]
So, never-here-Keir is on, by my counting, his 38th overseas trip since entering Downing Street. This time, it is to Communist China, in what must feel like something of a homecoming for Starmer. The Prime Minister has declared that this trip will make Britain richer, which is a surprising goal given he is doing seemingly […]
Keir Starmer will be packing his suitcases and selecting his travel outfit for his visit to Beijing later this week, the first for a British premier since Theresa May in January/February 2018. Like his predecessor, the Prime Minister will be accompanied by a substantial delegation of business and trade leaders, as well as the Chancellor […]
Is China an enemy state? This is a question ministers struggle to answer as Beijing breaks treaties, sanctions our MPs and puts Muslims in concentration camps. If any other country did this it would bring outrage. China gets away with it because they are also our fifth-largest trading partner, a major investor and one of […]
Kyō no teki wa, ashita no tomo is a famous quote by Miyamoto Musashi, the renowned Japanese swordsman, writer and artist. Translated, it means ‘today’s enemy is tomorrow’s friend’ and it is interpreted as an observation on the transient nature of conflict. History, of course, is littered with foes turned friends. Britain and France, Britain […]
At the crushing denouement of ‘A Man For All Seasons’, Thomas More issues the devastating line to the scoundrel Richard Rich, who has perjured himself for a Welsh sinecure, ‘Why, Richard, it profits a man nothing to give his soul for the whole world… But for Wales!’ In a similar vein, I find it extraordinary […]
Just as reports emerge that China may lift sanctions on British parliamentarians – framed as a gesture of goodwill amid ‘warming’ relations – new evidence should trigger alarm bells. This diplomatic softening comes on the heels of the UK Government’s renewed effort to attract Chinese investment. However, as I detail in my recent report for […]
The Chinese have formidable qualities, but they have rarely been credited with a sense of humour. Yet in that regard, we may be underestimating them. In response to the tariff contest, a number of witty, AI-generated memes have appeared, mocking Messrs Trump, Vance and Musk, depicting the three as unhappy-looking cobblers trying to replace the […]
For a government to ignore the unanimous will of an elected local council is a snub to the autonomy of local government, shows disdain for the will of the people and represents an insult to democracy. For a government to ignore the advice of its intelligence agencies represents a threat to national security. And for […]
A trade war is well underway between China and the US, with tariffs, bans on exports and more already coming into effect. With Donald Trump having just entered the White House, this is only likely to escalate. But it isn’t just the US feeling the heat, China’s willingness to weaponise critical minerals with an export […]
In the aftermath of the Second World War, Britain was victorious but broke. One of the genius inventions which was developed and helped Britain to win the war was the Nene jet engine created by Rolls Royce. Not only did the Nene engine give Britain an edge in defence, it was also thought at the […]
On Monday, Prime Minister Keir Starmer met Chinese leader Xi Jinping at the G20 Summit in Rio, marking the first time the UK and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) have met in person at the highest level since 2018 due to a ‘recent souring in relations’. The next day saw the sentencing of 45 […]
What a difference power makes. From the opposition benches, Labour were robust in their criticism of China’s authoritarian regime, pushing for stronger action against its human rights abuses and its influence operations on UK soil. Now they are in government, such concerns have been sidelined in favour of commercial opportunity. This is dangerously shortsighted. Chasing […]
Since the general election this year, one could reasonably say that Labour have avoided standing by any of their strongly-worded statements and commitments on handling the UK’s relations with China. In opposition, the Labour Party were vocal in pushing the Conservatives to be more robust on human rights in China and on the way the UK […]
Football provides a useful way to understand the dead end into which Xi Jinping is leading the Chinese economy. This month, a 7-0 loss by China’s men’s team to Japan in an Asian Cup qualifier marked the colossal failure of a decade-long multi-billion dollar project to turn China into a footballing superpower. When Xi launched […]
Reading Tom Baldwin’s biography of Keir Starmer, our new Prime Minister’s passion for human rights comes through clearly. Not simply as legal theory, but the ways in which it impacts people’s lives. And his willingness to go the extra mile to defend human rights – involving many overseas visits to parts of Africa and the […]
