Pragmatism and Security Interests: Britain Between China Trade and Espionage Allegations

The open approach to China remains a central point for the British government, which is confronted with the challenges of balancing its relationship with the Asian economic giant. Rachel Reeves emphasizes the importance of trade with China as being in the national interest of the UK, while promising a "pragmatic" approach to relations with Beijing. At the same time, the government faces the dilemma of responding to growing demands for a tougher stance against China, particularly in light of espionage allegations and attempts to gain influence within the British establishment. According to the British government, national security is a top priority, but there is also a parallel effort to attract investment from the Asian economic power. The planned register to combat foreign influence will be established next year, and it remains unclear to what extent China will be categorized under an "enhanced" category due to security concerns. Such a move could endanger economic relations with China, particularly while the government seeks to improve relations. Rachel Reeves plans to travel to China early next year to hold talks with Vice Premier He Lifeng, following Sir Keir Starmer's meeting with Chinese head of state Xi Jinping in November. Reeves underscores that the British government, under Keir Starmer's leadership, always prioritizes national security while pursuing a pragmatic approach to promoting trade and investment when it serves the national interest. The delay of a comprehensive review of the UK's relationship with China until after Reeves' visit to China places particular focus on this matter. The spotlight is also on the role of Yang Tengbo, a businessman with connections to the Duke of York, who lost his appeal against the immigration ban to the UK. Yang claimed he was wrongly accused of being a Chinese spy. Meanwhile, the court ruled that MI5 had legitimate reasons to warn MPs about Christine Lee, a lawyer allegedly working for the Chinese government, with this warning following a series of donations to Labour MP Barry Gardiner.