This week’s Government meeting with China’s Minister of Foreign Affairs will be the first visit of any UK Foreign Secretary to China in five years.
Commenting on James Cleverly’s planned visit to Beijing on Wednesday, Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Layla Moran said:
James Cleverly should think again about whether this is the signal the UK should be sending out.
At this very moment China is perpetrating genocidal crimes against the Uyghurs, increasing aggressive activity towards Taiwan, and pursuing illegal bounties against Hong Kong pro-democracy activists in our country.
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13 Comments
To be honest, I disagree with Layla Moran here.
I don’t like the Chinese regime any more than she does. However we talk to those we dislike because we need to, not because we want to do them favours or build them up.
Recently a series of US government representatives have visited China, including the Secretary of State Antony Blinken (= UK’s Jame Cleverly). I would much rather those diplomatic discussions take place than not take place.
Too late. He’s there now. Nothing wrong in talking as long as we highlight their abuses and support Taiwan.
The Chinese see the Uyghurs in the North Western province as a security threat…
And there’s nothing the West can do to about it …
You can have endless condemnations – but that is what it will amount too .. Meaningless rhetoric.
How does one attempt to persuade if one does not converse?
Why is it wrong to visit a country from which we buy so much?
Should the quality of purchased Covid P. P. E. be discussed?
How does the treatment of the Uyghurs compare with the West’s treatment of Libya?
@SteveTrevethan. I am wholly opposed the Western involvement in Libya. However, whatever the UK and others are doing/have done in Libya, it is not genocide. What China is doing to the Uyghurs is.
China only understand force. Cutting contact and trade is the only non violent way to get their attention.
You have to speak to other countries where there are human rights abuses not cold shoulder or blank them. That is the way to make progress and secure change by discussion so the first poster on here is right. I am sure the Foreign Secretary will raise these issues with China at the appropriate moment.
“Cutting contact and trade is the only non violent way to get their attention”….
Outsourcing manufacturing from the West to China has been the norm for years …In doing so they’ve also outsourced there carbon emissions… Nothing gets in the way of making a buck ..
I would wholly agree with those advocating maintaining ongoing diplomatic relations with China. In the arena of human rights external advocacy may not succeed with authoritarian regimes, but there is no good alternative.
Libya may be a case on point. Members of Libya’s mission to the United Nations charged Col. Qaddafi with committing genocidal war crimes and responsibility for mass shootings of demonstrators protesting against his four decades in power Libya’s U.N. Diplomats Break With Qaddafi
The Libyan crisis demonstrated the importance of the UN in a multipolar world.
The UN referred the Libyan government to the International Criminal Court for gross human rights violations. It imposed an arms embargo on the country and a travel ban and assets freeze on the family of Gaddafi and certain Government officials.
The Obama administration and EU powers turned to the Security Council for authorisation for military intervention in the Libyan Civil War, demanding “an immediate ceasefire ” and authorizing the international community to establish a no-fly zone and to use all means necessary short of foreign occupation to protect civilians. The intervention was supported by Russia, China and the Arab League.
While governments were briefly semi-united in disgust with Gaddafi’s behavior, disputes soon arose within and between international and regional organizations over how to act. The Colonel was frequently able to exploit tensions to his advantage, prolonging the crisis far longer than expected.
The UN remains the key forum for advocacy against human rights abuses including in China and Russia.
As ever, what matters is what James Cleverly says and does and agrees to while he’s out there. Him going out or not going out as UK official matters very little and matters less than it used to thanks to his political party.
George Thomas 30th Aug ’23 – 10:28pm:
Him going out or not going out as UK official matters very little and matters less than it used to thanks to his political party.
The UK now has a seat at the table and a veto when China’s application to join the CPTPP is discussed.
‘Which countries are in the CPTPP and RCEP trade agreements and which want in?’ [July 2023]:
https://www.piie.com/research/piie-charts/which-countries-are-cptpp-and-rcep-trade-agreements-and-which-want
Taiwan started lobbying us to support their application before we’d even acceded…
‘Delegation in UK to rally support for CPTPP bid’ [February 2023]:
https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2023/02/06/2003793811
Where is evidence that the Uyghurs are suffering genocide/mass killing?
There have been reports, of apparent validity, that since the West’s “help”/intervention”, slave markets were set up in Libya.
Might our party develop two relevant policies?
1) Enquiry into the accuracy of reports of foreign human rights abuses
2) The willingness to call out our human rights abuses and those of our international associates
Might our party point out that the technique of presenting “opposing” states as really bad/evil does not make ours or our allied states better than the realities of their behaviours?
P. S. My previous comment also, very much, applies to H. M. G.’s policy of not recognising/backgrounding the resurgence of Covid.
Leila has it wrong. Like so many of you, we may dislike the Community Party of China, but cutting off the nation of its people is unrealistic. Bravo to the majority of commentators here who understand the complexities. Dialogue is essential to promote any sort of peace and understanding in the world. “Cutting them off” is just sheer bravado.