UK PM Sunak says China a 'systemic challenge' to interests

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that China posed a challenge to the United Kingdom’s interests in his first remarks on his government’s foreign policy. Sunak also condemned the beating of a BBC journalist who was in Shanghai in the midst of anti-lockdown protests.

In his address at the annual Lord Mayor’s Banquet in London, Sunak said that Beijing was a “systemic challenge” to the country’s values and interests. Sunak added that the “golden era” of relations between the UK and China had ended. Sunak said the UK would need to change its approach to China, and that Beijing was “consciously competing for global influence using all the levers of state power.”

“Let’s be clear, the so-called ‘golden era’ is over, along with the naive idea that trade would automatically lead to social and political reform,” said Sunak, referencing former finance minister George Osborn’s description of China-UK relations in 2015.

Sunak also said his government intends to prioritize strengthening trade and security with allies in the Indo-Pacific region as “economics and security are indivisible” in the region. Sunak was originally set to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the G20 Summit in Bali, but the meeting was canceled.

Sunak’s remarks follow last week’s moves to ban China-made security cameras from sensitive government buildings. Sunak previously pledged to shut down all Confucius Institutes which are partially funded by Beijing, and that he would lead an alliance to counter Chinese cyber threats and help British firms and universities counter Chinese spying.

“We recognize China poses a systemic challenge to our values and interests, a challenge that grows more acute as it moves toward even greater authoritarianism,” said Sunak.

The British government has also summoned its Chinese ambassador over the arrest and alleged assault of BBC journalist Ed Lawrence in the anti-lockdown protests currently taking place in China. Ambassador Zheng Zeguang was summoned to the foreign office Tuesday following the incident with Lawrence.

Foreign secretary James Cleverly called the incident “deeply disturbing” as he confirmed the summoning of Zheng at the NATO conference in Romania. Cleverly stressed the importance of protecting “media freedom” and that journalists are able to work without fear of being harassed.