FOREIGN Secretary James Cleverly will tell China to butt out of the Ukraine war in a controversial visit to the nation.

       He will urge President Xi Jinping to stay out of the conflict despite his close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

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       On his visit to the East, James Cleverly will tell China to butt out of the Ukraine war Credit: Reuters

       He believes Britain must uphold diplomatic relations with China, a country PM Rishi Sunak has dubbed a “challenge”.

       Yet MP Sir Iain Duncan Smith has accused Mr Cleverly of appeasing China, like Chamberlain did the Nazis before World War Two.

       Sir Iain and several other British MPs have been sanctioned for speaking out about China’s alleged human rights abuses.

       He said: “China is guilty of slave labour, breaking world trade rules and supporting Russia and Putin. We can’t carry on as we did with Hitler in the 1930s.

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       “Appeasement does not work, all they do is take more and more, they are even threatening to invade."

       China’s close relationship with Russia and the aftermath of the Covid pandemic has led to an increasingly assertive stance from ministers.

       Mr Cleverly will be the first foreign secretary in five years to make the journey to the rogue state - but allies say he will give them both barrels and hold frank conversations over Ukraine, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

       In April, Mr Cleverly made a set-piece address to be delivered at Mansion House in London, he urged Beijing to be open about its intent behind its military expansion, the Telegraph reported.

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       He said : “At this moment, China is carrying out the biggest military build-up in peacetime history.

       “I urge China to be equally open about the doctrine and intent behind its military expansion, because transparency is surely in everyone’s interests and secrecy can only increase the risk of tragic miscalculation.”

       He will add: “It would be clear and easy – perhaps even satisfying – for me to declare a new Cold War and say that our goal is to isolate China.”