China: Foreign secretary will be walking same tightrope as other Western diplomats – but he is already behind the curve
As he lands in Beijing, the first British foreign secretary to do so in five years, James Cleverly, faces the same challenge that has perplexed visiting diplomats for decades.
Put simply, China’s economy and market are too big to ignore and its government too important to alienate.
But on the other hand, China‘s conduct is completely unacceptable on a whole range of fronts.
Its treatment of its Muslim Uyghur minority is genocidal, or something pretty close. Ditto Tibet.
It has ridden a fleet of carriages and horses through the Hong Kong agreement it made with Britain. Its bullying and threats to take over Taiwan are worrying too.
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China says the West has no right to interfere in the internal sovereign affairs of another country and will brook no criticism on the above on those grounds.
It should be said that when ally Russia interfered in the sovereign internal affairs of another country with a full-scale invasion, China did not apply the same principles and is aiding and abetting Moscow with arms sales that are increasing, to the alarm of those in the West.
Also increasing concern is the fact that the more authoritarian Xi Jinping becomes, the worse the Chinese economy fares, and that could have grave implications for all of us if the Chinese economic juggernaut starts to come off the rails.
Mr Cleverly’s challenge is all the greater because his boss has been so hawkish and critical with Beijing.
Rishi Sunak did not mince his words at the G7 summit in May in Hiroshima when he denounced China as the biggest threat to global prosperity and order of our age with the “means and intent to reshape the world order”.
Mr Cleverly seems to be taking an open-minded approach with him. He says he wants to engage with the Chinese government on areas where there are disagreements but also on areas where there is mileage in cooperation, not least on climate change.
He will be walking the same tightrope as other Western diplomats in Beijing, challenging its government on issues that offend the UK while not doing anything to endanger lucrative trading links with China’s massive economy.
He is already behind the curve. France, Germany and the EU have all sent large delegations, including business and commercial contingents. Mr Cleverly is not doing the same.
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For all the talk of decoupling from the Chinese economy, Western leaders still salivate over the lure of a market over a billion strong.
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In reality, Britain is less important economically and diplomatically outside the European Union.
Chinese officials have been bruisingly dismissive of the UK’s significance in the past.
But Mr Cleverly says he does not buy into the narrative that Britain no longer has influence or a voice.
In Beijing, he hopes to find both to do business on issues where it can be done and make Britain’s views known in areas where there are disagreements.