Elections, results, recess
A Beijing to Britain briefing
Hello,
“For now, these hot days, is the mad blood stirring.” Who will be the UK’s next Prime Minister? Will it be Liz Truss, the Foreign Secretary, or former Chancellor Rishi Sunak? Unfortunately, the foreign policy parts of their respective manifestos - including any China elements - will be primarily covered by the Westminster lobby, rather than foreign correspondents. This means we can expect to see leaks, anonymous hostile briefings, and endless examples of what has been termed ‘client journalism’ rather than meaningful analysis.
A more immediate concern for UK-China relations is an ongoing incident between the Chinese Embassy, the Metropolitan Police, and a vocal Australian human rights campaigner. The details remain murky, but it appears that vocal CCP critic Drew Pavlou could face seven years in jail after a bomb threat was sent from a fake email address under his name to the Chinese embassy in the UK. The Embassy forwarded the email - which read “this is Drew Pavlou, you have until 12pm to stop the Uyghur genocide or I blow up the embassy with a bomb. Regards, Drew” - to the Metropolitan Police, who in turn detained Pavlou for the next 23 hours where his phone was seized and he claims to have been denied access to a lawyer. The story is still developing.
In the City, HSBC saw a slew of negative headlines and political kickback after it was announced the company would installing a Communist party committee in its Chinese investment bank subsidiary. Elsewhere, the Government published its critical minerals strategy, and intervened to stop Manchester University selling sensitive technology to a Chinese firm.
Welcome to ‘Beijing to Britain’ - a weekly overview of the ebbs and flows of the discussion in Westminster and the City around the UK’s relationship with China, and how it impacts politics, the private sector and society.
Parliament is now on Recess, and there will be no briefing next week.