The British Government’s relationship with China has recently undergone a dramatic shift. In the past, the UK has been willing to overlook China’s human rights abuses and has been vocal in its support of trade and investment opportunities with the country. Now, however, tensions have begun to rise between the two countries and the UK has decided to take a tougher stance on China. In this article, we’ll look at the reasons why the UK has changed its stance on China. We’ll examine the growing tension between the two countries, and the role of foreign policy and human rights concerns in shaping the UK’s response to the situation.
The Growing Tensions between the UK and China
Over the past few years, the UK and China have experienced a growing tension in their relationship, primarily due to the UK’s strong stance on issues such as human rights and free trade. The UK has been vocal in condemning China’s human rights abuses and has spoken out against its increasingly repressive policies. At the same time, the UK has been keen to promote and protect its values of democracy and freedom of speech.
This has led to a number of tit-for-tat spats between the countries, including the UK’s response to China’s decision to impose a new security law on Hong Kong, its suspension of China’s Huawei from the UK’s telecoms infrastructure, and its decision to partially exclude Huawei from its component supply for 5G networks.
The Strong Foreign Policy Stance of the UK
The UK has made it clear that it is not willing to compromise on its foreign policy objectives. The UK has recently declared its intention to “play a leading role on the world stage” and to “stand up for its values and interests, and promote the rule of international law”. The UK has also voiced its impatience with China’s continued weakening of judicial and democratic processes, extensive control of information, and expansive powers of racial surveying. The UK also opposes China’s aggression in the South China Sea and its encroachment on human rights in Tibet.
Role of Human Rights in Influencing UK-China Relations
It is clear that the UK’s changing stance on China is driven by its concerns over human rights abuses. This is evidenced by the UK’s recent decision to partially exclude Huawei from its component supply for 5G networks. The UK has previously stated that it “cannot compromise on the security of our networks” and that it had identified “unacceptable risks” with regard to portions of Huawei’s supply chain and certain required features of its equipment.
The UK has repeatedly voiced its disapproval of the human rights violations in Xinjiang and Tibet. The UK has also expressed its concerns about the mistreatment of the Uyghur people and the restrictions on religious freedom and free speech in China. Furthermore, the UK has announced it is launching a Magnitsky-style sanctions regime that will target individuals “responsible for human rights abuses.”
The Impact of UK-China Relations on the Global Economy
The changing stance of the UK towards China is having a significant impact on the global economy. The UK’s decision to block Huawei from its component supply network sparked concerns among investors and technology companies that the Chinese company may be excluded from future 5G networks. This could have a significant impact on the competitiveness of China’s tech sector and could hamper their access to foreign markets.
The Impact of Brexit on UK-China Relations
Brexit has also been a major factor in the UK-China tension. The UK’s leaving of the EU has given Britain a certain level of independence where foreign policy is concerned. This has allowed the UK to take a more independent stance on China, as evidenced by its willingness to exclude Huawei from the 5G network, despite pressure from Brussels.
The UK’s relationship with China has been on a downward trajectory in recent years, fueled by a growing tension between the two countries. The UK appears to have adopted an increasingly hard-line stance on China, largely driven by its concerns over human rights abuses. This shift has had a significant impact on the global economy and will continue to do so in the future. Brexit has also played a role in the UK’s changing stance on China, allowing it greater independence in its decisions on foreign policy. As the UK-China tensions continue to deepen, it is likely that the UK’s stance on China will become even more significant in the months and years to come.
