PM denies change in approach despite ministerial visits and CCP boasting of marked shift in relations.
Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst, Member of Parliament for Solihull West & Shirley, used Prime Minister's Questions to challenge the Government's pursuit of closer ties with Beijing.
He challenged Sir Keir Starmer, saying: "The danger posed by China to our national security is self-evident. So can the Prime Minister explain why he and his government have chosen to treat Beijing as a business partner and not as the hostile state that it truly is?"
Experts have warned that closer ties could increase dependency on the hostile state, threaten British industry and pose a risk to our national security.
Both Labour's Chancellor and Foreign Secretary have visited China since the election, and reports suggest that a trip is also planned for Sir Keir.
Remarkably, the PM claimed his approach was "not materially different", but as recently as last month, members of the Chinese Communist Party informed a visiting British delegation of what they described as a marked shift in UK-China relations since the Labour Government took office.
Following Prime Minister's Questions, Dr Shastri-Hurst commented:
In a world marked by growing geopolitical volatility, we cannot afford to be naïve in the face of authoritarian ambition. Britain must approach its international partnerships with strategic realism, not wishful thinking.
The Prime Minister's response raises an important question: is the UK Government steering the direction of this audit, or are decisions being shaped by the very officials the audit is meant to evaluate?
