Death of the ‘Golden Era’? UK report demands rethink of China policy as Beijing gets tough
- Report comes as the UK government is in the throes of an unprecedented political crisis over Brexit
- China seen as one of UK’s key trading partners - if and when Britain finally leaves the European Union
Britain should reassess its “Golden Era” policy with China as it risks putting economic interests above security concerns and instead devise a new strategy “that reflects changes in Beijing’s strategic direction”, according to a new UK parliamentary inquiry report.
“The UK’s approach risks prioritising economic considerations over other interests, values and national security,” the report, released Thursday, said.
“If the government had not already committed in rhetorical terms to a ‘Golden Era’ in UK-Chinese relations, we question whether it would be appropriate to do so now.”
It called for the government to develop a single, detailed, public document defining the UK’s China strategy to be published by the end of 2020.
The announcement of a “Golden Era” in Anglo-Chinese relations came with President Xi Jinping’s UK visit in 2015, the terminology the brainchild of the former Prime Minister David Cameron.
Since then, China has been investing heavily in the UK, especially in the oil, telecoms, nuclear and transport sectors.