Liz Truss is expected to tell parliamentarians from around the world that Britain had previously sent 'the wrong message' in its attempts to build relations with China
in the face of Chinese aggression., Ms Truss will warn that “the free world is in danger” and demand a tougher policy on China.
The former Conservative leader will also say that “we must ensure that Taiwan is able to defend itself”, putting pressure on Mr Sunak to step up the UK’s support for the country, which is threatened with invasion by Beijing. At a meeting on Friday in Tokyo of parliamentarians from around the world, Ms Truss is expected to say: “Let’s be clear, the free world is in danger. We are living in turbulent economic times and have faced severe shocks, from the financial crisis to the Covid pandemic. We have less of the world’s population living in democracies than was the case 30 years ago.”
Taking aim at China specifically, she will say: “Some people say standing up to this regime is a hopeless task; that somehow the rise of a totalitarian China is inevitable. But I reject this fatalism. The free world has a significant role to play in whether or not that happens – and how it happens. “It wasn’t that long ago that the UK heralded a ‘golden era’ of UK-China relations. We rolled out the red carpet for the Chinese President – with all the pomp and ceremony that came with a state visit. I should know – I attended a banquet in his honour. Looking back, I think this sent the wrong message.”
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