The UK is “severely handicapped” by its short-termist approach to China, which poses the “main state security threat” to British interests, according to a long-awaited UK parliamentary inquiry.
(Bloomberg) — The UK is “severely handicapped” by its short-termist approach to China, which poses the “main state security threat” to British interests, according to a long-awaited UK parliamentary inquiry.
“China’s size, ambition and capability have enabled it to successfully penetrate every sector of the UK’s economy,” Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee said in a report published Thursday. “The government has been so keen to take Chinese money that it has not been watching China’s sleight of hand whilst it overtly penetrated the UK’s energy and industry sectors.”
The findings, though not a statement of official policy, come at an awkward time for Rishi Sunak’s administration. The prime minister is trying to strike a balance with his China policy, recognizing the country’s economic heft and importance as a trading partner, while acknowledging concerns around national security and human rights and the demands for a more hardline approach from members of his governing Conservative Party.
Read More: UK Foreign Secretary Cleverly Mulls Late July Trip to China
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly is expected to make a trip to China in the coming weeks. He and Sunak have spoken of China as an “epoch-defining challenge” rather than an explicitly threat to the UK’s security, even as minister recently accused Beijing of running secret police stations in Britain.
The committee raised particular concern for Britain’s academic institutions and energy sector, warning that the UK is now playing catch-up. It made clear that China, rather than Russia, offers the biggest state security threat to Britain, with China “prolifically and aggressively” targeting the UK.
“Without swift and decisive action, we are on a trajectory for the nightmare scenario where China steals blueprints, sets standards, and builds products, exerting political and economic influence at every step,” the committee said.
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