Sir Keir Starmer has admitted that China still poses a ‘national security threat’ to the UK, despite his government’s attempts to thaw relations with Beijing.
In his annual Guildhall speech on foreign policy, the Prime Minister argued that failing to engage with the world’s second largest economy was ‘a dereliction of duty’.
He also rejected the notion of a ‘binary choice’ between the ‘golden age’ of engagement with China under David Cameron and the ‘ice age’ under more recent Conservative prime ministers.
But Sir Keir said: ‘[China] is a nation of immense scale, ambition and ingenuity. A defining force in technology, trade and global governance.
‘At the same time, it also poses to the UK.’
He added: ‘This is not a question of balancing economic and security considerations.
‘We don’t trade off security in one area, for a bit more economic access somewhere else.
‘Protecting our security is non-negotiable – our first duty. But by taking tough steps to keep us secure, we enable ourselves to co-operate in other areas.’
Sir Keir has faced heightened criticism of his approach to UK-Chinese relations in the wake of the Westminster spy case that collapsed earlier this year.
Christopher Cash, 30, and Christopher Berry, 33, were accused of passing sensitive intelligence from Parliament onto the Chinese government.
The prosecution of the pair, who both denied any wrongdoing, was halted after a key witness for the government refused to describe China as a threat to UK national security.
National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell is reported to have made clear that the Government would classify Beijing as a ‘challenge’ rather than an ‘enemy’ of the UK in evidence for the case.
This triggered a row over whether the Government had deliberately undermined the case to preserve relations with China – a claim ministers firmly rejected.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch used her party conference speech to claim: ‘Labour deliberately collapsed the trial of two men accused of spying on MPs for China, because the Prime Minister wants to suck up Beijing.’
Tory chairman Kevin Hollinrake added: ‘Keir Starmer does need to explain himself to Parliament and to the country.’
The allegation was of ‘people spying at the heart of government, and we are not willing to say that China is a threat to our national security’.
Mr Hollinrake said: ‘It’s totally wrong and it is a pattern of behaviour for Keir Starmer when we’ve seen, for example, the Chinese super embassy in the heart of London, which is not in the interest of national security.’
He insisted the previous Conservative government had ‘always said’ China was a threat to national security ‘in certain areas’.
In his speech at the Guildhall on Monday, Sir Keir also underlined his commitment to internationalism as he said Britain must not shrink back from a ‘chaotic world’.
The Prime Minister accused opposition politicians of offering a ‘corrosive, inward-looking attitude’ on international affairs.
Taking aim at those who advocate leaving the European Convention on Human Rights or Nato, he said they offered ‘grievance rather than hope’ and ‘a declinist vision of a lesser Britain’.
Sir Keir said: ‘Moreover, it is a fatal misreading of the moment, ducking the fundamental challenge posed by a chaotic world – a world which is more dangerous and unstable than at any point for a generation, where international events reach directly into our lives, whether we like it or not.’
He added: ‘In these times, we deliver for Britain by looking outward with renewed purpose and pride, not by shrinking back. In these times, internationalism is patriotism.’
Since coming to power last year, Sir Keir has been active on the world stage, trumpeting deals with the US, India and the EU and leading the ‘coalition of the willing’ in support of Ukraine.
But he has also faced criticism from his opponents, who accuse him of spending too much time out of the country attending international summits rather than focusing on domestic issues.
Speaking in the City of London on Monday evening, the Prime Minister offered a defence of his approach, describing it as ‘the biggest shift in British foreign policy since Brexit’ and ‘a decisive move to face outward again’.
While saying he would ‘always respect’ the Brexit vote as a ‘fair, democratic expression’, he said the way the UK’s departure from the EU had been ‘sold and delivered’ was ‘simply wrong’.
He said: ‘Wild promises were made to the British people and not fulfilled. We are still dealing with the consequences today.’
