UK's China approach plagued by incoherence and lack of expertise

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 15 Oct, 00:44 · Archive

The UK's approach to China is hampered by incoherence and insufficient senior expertise, an international group of legislators warns.

The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (Ipac), an international grouping of China-sceptic legislators, has published a report warning that the UK's approach to China is 'beset by incoherence' and weakened by budget cuts and a lack of senior expertise. The 53-page audit, published on Wednesday, says past engagement with Beijing has often exposed the UK to the risks of interference without delivering promised opportunities.

The report notes that although British expertise in China exists, it is often siloed and not translated into actionable policy. It cites an example of a visiting Chinese delegation observing that no one engaging with Beijing at senior government level was a Mandarin speaker or had significant experience living in China. Whitehall departments pursue 'mutually contradictory approaches' to Beijing, the report says.

Ipac recommends that Britain create a unit modelled on the US State Department's China House to join up action across government. The group, which counts almost 50 MPs among its members from across Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats, the Scottish National Party, the Greens and Reform, also warns of risks including Chinese industrial dumping in the UK and software vulnerabilities in Chinese-supplied renewable energy equipment. A UK government spokesperson said the government was 'clear-eyed about the threats China poses' whilst recognising that working with China presented opportunities.

How it is being reported

• Britain's approach to China 'beset by incoherence' warns damning new reportBritain’s approach to China has been “beset by incoherence" and lacks expertise because of budget cuts, according to a damning new report. Whitehall departments pursue "mutually contradictory approaches" to Beijing with a "naivety" about what it wants from the UK, the report by the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (Ipac) said. Britain should create a unit modelled on the US State Department’s China House to join up action across Government, the report recommends. In a 53-page document, Ipac said that increasingly polarised politics in the UK and the rise of “populist parties that have…GB News · 15 Oct, 00:29
• UK’s ‘incoherent’ approach to China plagued by a lack of expertise, report saysInternational grouping of China-sceptic legislators warns of risks inherent in misjudging bilateral relationship The UK’s approach to China is “beset by incoherence” and plagued by a lack of senior expertise, according to a report warning of the risks inherent in misjudging the bilateral relationship. Wednesday’s audit by the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (Ipac), an international grouping of China-sceptic legislators, says past engagement with Beijing has often exposed the UK to the risks of interference without delivering the opportunities promised. Continue reading...The Guardian · 14 Oct, 17:13

In this story: UK · China · Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China · US State Department · Tom Tugendhat

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