China’s standing ‘suffers’ due to Russia ties, departure from global norms: UK foreign minister James Cleverly

The minister said that when China departs from international rules and aligns itself with aggressive countries, its status in the world is affected

An appointee of Britain’s new PM Liz Truss, Cleverly said the UK government will always stand up for sovereignty and security, and its partners

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British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly outside 10 Downing Street in London. Photo: AP Photo

Published: 9:09pm, 29 Sep 2022Updated: 11:35pm, 29 Sep 2022

China’s global reputation “suffers” because of its ties with Russia and its decision to depart from “global rules and norms”, Britain’s new foreign minister James Cleverly said on Thursday at a forum.

In a keynote address at the Milken Institute Asia Summit, Cleverly reiterated the UK’s commitment to a so-called “Indo-Pacific” tilt aimed at strengthening trade and strategic ties in the region.

“It would be impossible to give a speech in this region and not mention China,” said Cleverly who last week met China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

“It’s important to talk even when we disagree – actually, especially when we disagree – because China is a major global actor and driver of growth, [and] it has lifted literally millions of people out of poverty,” Cleverly said.

“But the lessons I take from watching China across my lifetime is that when China departs from global rules and norms [and] when it aligns itself with aggressive countries, like Russia, its standing in the world suffers,” he added.

The foreign minister, an appointee of the newly-minted Prime Minister Liz Truss, said: “China will always have a choice about the direction that it wants to take, but one thing that’s certain is that the UK government will always stand up for our sovereignty and economic security, and that of our partners.”