Sir Keir Starmer met Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 summit in Brazil (Image: Getty)
Labour is accused of “bending the knee” to China and endangering Britain’s national security as the Government works to deepen relations with the Communist superpower. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was yesterday urged to “stop bootlicking” Chinese president Xi Jinping and recognise China is an “adversary”.
Senior Conservatives warn the “absolutely reckless” Government is in danger of “selling our souls” to the authoritarian state as it chases investment. They say it would be “insane” to allow China to build a “mega embassy” near the Tower of London which critics claim could be used as a spy base.
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The warnings come as Chancellor Rachel Reeves said it would be “very foolish” not to engage with the world’s second biggest economy and defended her visit to China with leading British companies.
Shadow Foreign Secretary Dame Priti Patel told the Sunday Express: “Let’s be very honest – I think your readers need to know – the Chinese don’t invest in the United Kingdom because they like us; they invest in our country to do us down and to do us harm.”
Former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith blasted Labour, saying: “They cannot see who their friends are and who their enemies are. They are just pathetic now.
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“They are going to sell this country into the hands of the Chinese... That is going to be their epitaph.”
There is escalating concern about Chinese investment in core British infrastructure alongside worries about espionage threats, the potential invasion of Taiwan and the suppression of human rights.
The Government took emergency action this month to take control of British Steel’s plant in Scunthorpe – owned by Chinese firm Jingye – to prevent the closure of Britain’s last blast furnaces and preserve the country’s capacity to make virgin steel.
The Intelligence and Security Committee warned in 2023 that “China’s size, ambition and capability have enabled it to successfully penetrate every sector of the UK’s economy”. It added without “swift and decisive action” Britain is “on a trajectory for the nightmare scenario where China steals blueprints, sets standards, and builds products, exerting political and economic influence at every step”.
Dame Priti said: “What do we see from Labour, a Labour socialist Government? They are just bending the knee and kowtowing to China.”
Arguing China should not be seen as an ally but as an adversary, she again turned her guns on Labour, saying: “I think they are just being totally irresponsible and they are being totally complicit in running down the national security of our country.”
China was the UK’s fifth-largest trading partner in the 12 months to March 2024, according to the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, with Britain running a ￡25billion trade deficit.
Alan Mendoza of the Henry Jackson Society foreign policy think tank said: “The Government’s desire to cosy up to China in the light of overwhelming evidence that Beijing represents a serious economic and national security threat to the UK is inexplicable. The lure of Chinese money to an economy is obvious, but it comes at a price that we are now entirely aware of and which ministers can no longer plead ignorance about.
“This will be a generation of guilty men and women if they sell core long-term UK interests down the river for short-term, temporary benefit.”
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As well as the Chancellor, Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and trade minister Douglas Alexander have visited China. There is strong speculation that Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds will make the journey ahead of a potential visit by the Prime Minister.
Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick strongly opposes allowing China to turn London’s Royal Mint Court into its largest diplomatic mission in Europe.
He said: “China is flagrantly using their embassy as a base for espionage and intimidation. It’s insane that Labour might reward them by approving Beijing’s planned mega embassy.
“Starmer should stop bootlicking Xi Jinping, block Beijing’s plans, and put the UK’s national interest first.”
Amnesty International UK is strongly concerned about Chinese oppression of pro-democracy activists who are living in countries including the UK.
Director of campaigns Kerry Moscogiuri said: “Compared to countries such as USA and Canada, the UK has been slow to establish the necessary policies and institutional awareness in response to transnational repression of hostile states. The UK government must create an effective national strategy to protect activists under threat and ensure that alleged incidents of transnational repression on UK soil are effectively investigated.”
Former Tory leader Sir Iain said: “We have been foolish beyond belief in the West, but particularly in the UK, failing to recognise we are up against a totalitarian state that we have made one of the most powerful in the world by running to make cheap goods there.”
Warning that Labour is “heading into the land of self-harm,” he said: “Selling our souls for a mess of pottage is what they are doing at the moment and they are mad to it.”
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He is deeply concerned about the Government’s plans to hand sovereignty of the Chagos Islands – home to the UK-US Diego Garcia military base – to Mauritius, fearing this could lead to an expansion of Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific.
“The reality is this is an absolute disaster,” he said.
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Shadow Justice Secretary Sir Robert agreed, saying: “Starmer’s Chagos Deal is a betrayal of Britain... This surrender must be stopped.”
The Government insists the Chagos deal will secure the presence of the base and is “rooted in a rational and hard-headed determination to protect UK security”.
A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: “Since day one this government’s top priority has been to protect our national security and UK values. We are carrying out a full and comprehensive audit on the breadth of the UK’s relationship with China which will bring a consistent, long-term and strategic approach, rooted in UK and global interests, so we can engage and challenge China where we need to.”