Chinese-British relations ‘complicated’ by South China Sea military plans
- Joint US-Britain naval drill in disputed waters follows hard on the heels of Beijing anger at plans to deploy new aircraft carrier to the region
- Disputed waters have become a dangerous flashpoint between Beijing and Washington
Britain said its relationship with China was facing complications, triggered by the plan to send a new Royal Navy aircraft carrier to the Pacific.
The admission follows Britain’s participation this week in a joint naval drill with the US in the South China Sea, as part of an effort by the US and its allies to boost their military presence in the hotly contested waters.
UK Finance Minister Philip Hammond said China-UK relations had been damaged by Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson's threat to deploy the Queen Elizabeth warship, along with two squadrons of F-35B Lightning II joint strike fighters, to the disputed waters.
China has reportedly cancelled planned trade talks with Hammond due to its anger at the announcement.
Britain’s naval ambitions to once again rule the waves are laughable at best and make no sense at all
“It is a complex relationship and it hasn’t been made simpler by Chinese concerns about Royal Navy deployments in the South China Sea,” Hammond said in a BBC radio programme on Thursday.