Labour wants to have it both ways on China, but doing so ignores an inconvenient truth - John Redwood

It is quite likely Mauritius will grant rights to Chinese fishing boats in what is currently a highly protected and important marine environment, and may allow China other access to the islands and waters adjacent to the crucial Anglo-American joint air and naval base at Diego Garcia.

Today the base is safe for the naval and air forces that use it and well away from people who could object to its activities. There was no legal need to give it away, as the International Court has no jurisdiction. The Chagossians, who are all settled elsewhere, opposed the gift.

The Government is also making a mess of the Chinese planning application for a grand new super-Embassy in the City of London.

They tell us it will be determined by usual planning law procedures, yet they have called the application in and have now announced a delay in determining it.

There are allegations that the Government has given promises or understandings to the Chinese Government over the application, which could mean violations of planning law.

As a result of their dithering and mixed messages, neither side is happy. The opponents of the Embassy, who fear it could be a source of spies or even disruption to UK life, fear the Government plans to push it through regardless.

They think they are just delaying because it is currently another embarrassment at a time when a spy trial has been dropped. China fears bad faith following various meetings to improve the UK–China relationship and wants it settled in their favour.

The Government wants to have it both ways. It is putting great energy into building friendlier ties to promote more trade, more joint scientific work, and more economic and financial cooperation.

The Chancellor went to China in January, followed by the Business Secretary. The new Business Secretary plans a trip. The National Security Adviser to the Prime Minister has been, and there are plans for the Prime Minister to visit soon.

There is no need for such visits to promote Chinese exports to the UK, as these are booming and now include many of the big items needed for the Government-led renewable energy investments that it highlights. UK exports remain modest, with a large trade deficit for the UK.

The previous Foreign Secretary presented a China Audit to Parliament in June. He identified “a full spectrum of threats from espionage and cyberattacks to the repression of Hong Kongers and attacks on the rules-based order.

"It made clear that our protections must extend more widely than they currently do.”

The previous Government banned various Huawei products and lessened China’s involvement in UK digital and phone investment. Some Chinese surveillance cameras are now banned.

The recent trial of two people allegedly spying for China collapsed over whether China was seen as a threat by the last Government.

This was bizarre, given the number of statements and some of the actions of the previous administration concerning the China threat. This Government too, in its own words, has identified this “full spectrum of threats,” yet it was not able to provide evidence for the court case.

It all looks as if the Government wants to have it both ways—telling the UK that it takes these threats seriously, and telling China it sees China as a great partner.

The Government is pleased that China is the UK’s second-largest research collaborator after the US, yet at the same time warns us about Chinese technology and intentions.

If the Government really thinks there is a huge export and investment opportunity for the UK from good relations with China, then it has to tell us honestly that we need to accept a mega-Embassy and complain less about human rights issues, cyberattacks, and technological threats.

I think that would be wrong. The UK’s national interest lies in having its own excellence in digital technology, academic research, and renewable power, not in dependence on China.

The UK needs to stay alert to the worries about China well catalogued in the Government’s own China Audit, which the Chancellors, the Business Secretary, and maybe even the Prime Minister wish to ignore as an inconvenient truth. They are unlikely to bring back a big surge in exports.