A recently published report authored by Charlie Parton OBE, former diplomat and now Senior Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, calls for the UK to develop a new strategy in its relations with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
The paper, published by the Policy Institute at King’s College London, highlights the failure of previous UK policy to take into account the increasing divergence between China and democratic countries as “socialism with Chinese characteristics” is found to be incompatible with liberal democracy and open economies.
In detailing a new strategy, the paper urges the government to counter the attempts of the CCP’s ‘United Front’ department to interfere in Britain’s political, business and academic circles, and proposes a review of strategic dependency on China in areas such as critical national infrastructure.
Though Parton stresses the necessity of engaging with China on issues such as climate change and global financial stability, he recognises that a stronger stance towards China will likely draw “short-term turbulence”. Unity with like minded democratic countries in Europe, the Five Eyes Alliance and Asia is thus deemed crucial to the success of any such strategy.
The full paper ‘Towards a UK strategy and policies for relations with China’ is available to read and download here.
It notes that China has not opened up reciprocal access to its domestic market, has undermined commitments to human rights in areas such as Xinjiang and Tibet and has not adhered to international law
