"No single word describes the challenge that China poses for UK foreign policy. There is threat and opportunity; a requirement to engage and an imperative to be guarded. The Communist party in Beijing represses dissent and pursues its interests overseas with coercive nationalist determination. It is not a regime with which Britain can build a relationship based on common values. But China is also a superpower with near-monopoly control of some mineral resources and pre-eminence in important manufacturing supply chains."
"The Crown Prosecution Service dropped the case against two men, a parliamentary researcher and a teacher working in China. Both deny wrongdoing. The CPS says a conviction could not be secured if China was not named in government witness statements as a threat to national security ostensibly a requirement of the Official Secrets Act. Opposition parties have cried foul. The suspicion has been raised that political pressure was applied to drop the case through fear of offending Beijing and spoiling economic relations."
China combines coercive political behaviour and strategic economic influence, posing both threat and opportunity to the UK. The Communist party suppresses dissent and pursues overseas interests assertively, while China controls key minerals and manufacturing supply chains. The Crown Prosecution Service dropped an espionage case alleging transmission of secrets from inside parliament to Chinese officials, ending charges against a parliamentary researcher and a teacher. The CPS said a conviction could not be secured without naming China in government witness statements under the Official Secrets Act. Opposition figures suspect political pressure to avoid offending Beijing; ministers deny interference and pledge to publish witness statements. The episode highlights tensions among legal standards, national security, and economic considerations in managing relations with China.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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