FRIEND OR ENEMY?
The drawback for a lot of international locations, particularly these in Europe grappling with tepid financial development and dealing with the prospect of a hostile commerce relationship with the United States below Donald Trump, is that China is just too large a market to disregard.
However, the value of doing enterprise with China is usually to downplay the affect operations, espionage, dumping and different dangerous actions that Beijing appears reluctant to surrender.
From China’s perspective, the aim of such operations is to study extra about and achieve extra affect over Western international locations which might be seen as opponents or rivals. London is a very appropriate goal, not solely as a significant financial system and world energy, but additionally as a detailed ally of the United States, a significant contributor to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and a major protection energy in its personal proper.
The UK should now resolve whether or not to cover these unsavory actions of China for the sake of financial ties or make its place identified to China.
A key second will probably be whether or not the federal government permits a brand new Chinese embassy to be constructed on the positioning of the previous Royal Mint, the UK’s coin maker, in east London, regardless of the objections of native authorities.
If authorized, it will be the most important Chinese embassy in Europe and greater than a 3rd bigger than the brand new US embassy in south London. The variety of diplomatic workers would give an enormous increase to potential Chinese affect and espionage operations within the UK.
It stays to be seen whether or not that is the value the Starmer authorities is keen to pay.
Christian Le Miere is a international coverage advisor and the founder and CEO of Arcipel, a strategic consultancy based mostly in London.
