Lord David Cameron 'impressed' by UK's post-Brexit trade deals

       David Cameron has been urged by senior Conservatives to show he will indulge in any "appeasement of China" following his enthusiastic reception by Beijing media.

       David Campbell Bannerman, the chairman of the Conservative Democratic Organisation and former Tory MEP, told Express.co.uk: "David Cameron is associated with a cosy relationship with China putting economic considerations ahead of deep security and human rights concerns.

       "It is deeply worrying to see such a lurch back to appeasement of China. It is now far more of a threat than when he was in charge."

       His intervention came as leading newspapers in Beijing hailed Lord Cameron's return to frontline politics as a sign that the United Kingdom was "finally relenting in its hostility towards China" and allowing "more supportive and friendly voices" to hold sway.

       As Prime Minister, Mr Cameron ushered in a brief "golden era" of relations with China. This famously included enjoying a pub pint with Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2015 during an official visit.

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       Cameron enjoyed a pub pint with Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2015 during an official visit (Image: GETTY)

       Relations between the UK and China have soured in recent years, with Beijing even sanctioning multiple British MPs who have spoken out publicly against human rights abuses in Xinjiang.

       Former Cabinet minister Sir Iain Duncan Smith told Politics Home that Lord Cameron has "a lot of ground to make up if he is to convince everybody that China was wrong to welcome him".

       Human rights activist Luke de Pulford said the warm reception was "obviously very embarrassing" for the ex-Prime Minister.

       Sir Iain Duncan Smith said Lord Cameron has 'a lot of ground to make up' (Image: GETTY)

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       The director of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China added: "CCP state media think they’ve got their man in the foreign office, and they’re crowing about it.

       "Little wonder: Cameron was the PM responsible for the disastrously naive 'golden era' of relations with China, and has since been lobbying for Beijing-run infrastructure projects.

       "The onus is on the Foreign Secretary to silence Beijing’s mouthpieces and stand up to Xi Jinping’s worsening totalitarianism."

       A Labour source said the positive reviews raised serious questions about Lord Cameron.

       They said: “It’s not a great look for the former prime minister to be fawned over by the various mouthpieces of the Chinese Communist Party, especially when his new boss – who happens to be the current Prime Minister – has repeatedly been put under pressure by his party for his inconsistency on China.

       “It clearly undermines Rishi Sunak’s authority and China hawks within the Tory Party will be fuming – Lord Cameron will struggle to manage his backbenches.”

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       Before his appointment, Lord Cameron was criticised for his close involvement with Chinese investment during his time out of office.

       He has praised a port development in Sri Lanka owned by a Chinese state company while also trying to set up a ￡1bn China-Investment fund.

       When asked about the implications of Lord Cameron's return, Rishi Sunak previously told reporters: “If David was here what he would say is the China of today is not the China he dealt with over a decade ago”.

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