UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer used a foreign policy speech at the Lady Mayor's Banquet in London on Dec. 1 to say Britain should work with China on trade and business while also treating Beijing as a national security threat. He said the UK would take measures in response and also raised Hong Kong in the speech. [1]
The Chinese Embassy in the UK rejected the remarks, calling them erroneous and groundless accusations that interfere in China's internal affairs. A spokesperson said China is a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development and a defender of the international order, and that it poses no threat to other countries. [1]
The embassy urged the UK to adopt a positive and pragmatic policy toward China and to work with Beijing for the steady development of bilateral ties. [1]
Professor Li Haidong of China Foreign Affairs University said Starmer's China policy reflects a "have-it-both-ways" strategy, in which he seeks to constrain China to satisfy domestic hardliners while still trying to gain economic benefits from China. Li also said Starmer appears to recognise that past British governments have been inconsistent on China and that the approach has hurt the UK. [1]
The exchange followed the speech by one day, when the Chinese Embassy issued its statement opposing Starmer's comments and pressing London to reset ties with Beijing. [1]
