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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Aubrey Allegretti Political correspondent

UK accused of hollow national security rhetoric after Asian embassy cuts

The British embassy in Beijing.
The British embassy in Beijing. The number of British-based staff working for embassies and consulates in China, India and Pakistan has fallen. Photograph: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images,

British-based diplomatic posts for key Indo-Pacific countries have been cut by up to 50% in recent years, new figures reveal, sparking accusations that the headline aim of the government’s national security strategy is “hollow rhetoric”.

The numbers working for embassies and consulates in Pakistan, China and India have all been diminishing over the last seven years, despite those countries being identified as key places to deepen ties with over the coming decade.

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