By Liu Bai, Observer News
"For the UK, China is both a 'threat' and a desired trading partner." The New York Times published an article on October 27, revealing the UK's awkward feelings towards China.
The article points out that the UK is caught in a contradictory dilemma in its policy towards China. The UK government has repeatedly raised issues of human rights and security, leading to tensions between the two countries. However, after Brexit, the UK's economy has been weak and lacks investment, making it more dependent on trade with China. China is the fifth largest trading partner of the UK, with bilateral trade close to 100 billion pounds, which can be called the "economic lifeline" of the UK. A British economist stated directly that the UK's economic position is very fragile. China is seen as a potential savior, even a messiah.
This article openly states that information from UK intelligence agencies has always been consistent: China is a "clear threat," and the UK's electronic intelligence agency also considers work with China as its top priority.
In contrast, the stance of other departments of the UK government is much more ambiguous.
The article mentioned the recent botched Chinese espionage case in the UK. Due to insufficient evidence, the UK prosecutors last month announced the withdrawal of charges against two British men accused of being "Chinese spies" in 2023, and they were released without charge.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) later revealed in a letter that the organization had repeatedly requested the government to provide evidence to prove that China posed a "threat" to UK national security, but these requests were all rejected. This attitude of the government was the key reason for the CPS's decision to drop the charges against the two British men.
UK Prime Minister Starmer, IC Photo
But this has also led to criticism from political opponents of the Starmer government for being too weak on China. Conservative MPs accused the Starmer government of dropping the case because they feared the trial would anger China and damage bilateral economic relations, but Starmer denied this and accused the previous Conservative government of updating national laws too slowly, causing the case to stall.
The Chinese Embassy in the UK emphasized in a statement: "We have pointed out from the beginning that the accusation that 'China instructed relevant British personnel to steal British intelligence' is completely fabricated malicious defamation, and we firmly oppose it."
"We urge some people in the UK to stop this self-created anti-China political farce," the statement said.
At the same time, UK officials are still discussing whether to allow China to build a new embassy in London, which some have taken advantage of, claiming it could harm national security and become a base for "espionage activities." Under the controversy, the decision that UK officials had originally planned to make last week was postponed.
China has stated that providing support and convenience for the construction of diplomatic premises is the international obligation of the host country. Both China and the UK have the need to build new embassies in each other's capitals, and both should support each other.
The article points out that both events highlight the balancing act that the UK and the West face when dealing with their relationship with China. Western countries want to share the benefits of trade with the world's second-largest economy, but must also balance the so-called "security risks" brought by China.
This tense situation is particularly evident in the UK. Since Brexit, the UK's economy has been weak, with insufficient investment and low domestic demand.
At the same time, China also has countermeasures. The Chinese government can prevent Chinese companies from investing in the UK, and order state-owned enterprises to reduce business dealings with the UK.
Eswar Prasad, a trade policy scholar at Cornell University, pointed out that China can impose tariffs on the UK's main export goods, such as cars.
China also widely uses British banking services, and can switch to other countries if necessary.
He said: "The UK's economic position is very fragile. China is seen as a potential savior, even a messiah."
UK government data shows that China is the fifth largest trading partner of the UK, with bilateral trade close to 100 billion pounds per year. China's import share exceeds seven percent, mainly including telecommunications equipment and machinery.
The article states that in recent years, UK leaders have tried to take advantage of China's economic strength. Prime Minister Cameron once promoted the "golden era" of Sino-British relations, and his successor Theresa May visited Beijing in 2018 to strengthen trade, while Johnson even vowed to create a "pro-China government."
However, these positive developments gradually disappeared after the UK government continued to raise issues of cybersecurity and human rights against China.
Last month, the Financial Times cited analysts who said that since taking office last year, Starmer has been committed to improving relations with China. Previously, the Conservative government in power had repeatedly raised accusations of "Chinese-led high-profile espionage activities and cyber attacks against the UK," which cooled Sino-British relations, and Starmer's efforts were aimed at reversing this trend.
Theresa May once described in a book by British investigative journalist Ray Dalio about the "Five Eyes Alliance": "We have not yet found a completely effective way to let the global economy benefit from China's position while constraining China's 'concerning behavior'."
But the answer is obvious. The UK should truly realize that abandoning outdated Cold War thinking and ideological prejudices, and looking at China's development with a pragmatic and rational attitude, is the correct choice that serves the interests of the UK.
In April this year, Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Foreign Minister, spoke on the phone with British Foreign Secretary Lamby upon request. Wang Yi stated that the momentum of improvement and easing of Sino-British relations is hard-won and needs to be cherished. China is willing to work with the UK to follow the strategic guidance of the leaders of the two countries, eliminate various interferences and noise, grasp the direction of steady progress of bilateral relations, focus on mutual benefit cooperation, and accumulate more positive agendas. In the current context where unilateral bullying is rampant, China and the UK have the responsibility to safeguard the post-WWII international order, the international system centered on the United Nations, and the multilateral trading system.
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Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7565814469935301155/
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