James Cleverly said that the UK was “clear-eyed” that China would not change “overnight”, as he met senior officials in Beijing in a visit aimed at easing tensions with the Asian power.
The trip has faced criticism from some senior Conservatives, but the Foreign Secretary insisted that a “pragmatic” relationship was necessary to tackle major global issues such as climate change.
He also insisted the visit would allow him to have “tough conversations” with the Chinese on issues including repression in Hong Kong, and human rights abuses in Xinjiang province.
“It’s an important country, it’s a large country and influential country, and a complicated country. And therefore our relationship with China will necessarily be just as complicated and sophisticated,” the Foreign Secretary told broadcasters.
“We are clear-eyed about the areas where we have fundamental disagreements with China. And I raise those issues when we meet.
“But I think it’s important, we also recognise that we have to have a pragmatic, sensible working relationship with China, because of the issues that affects us all around the globe.”
In a face-to-face meeting with vice president Han Zheng, who played a leading role in the anti-democracy crackdown in Hong Kong, Mr Cleverly said regular meetings are important “to enhance understanding” and “to avoid misunderstanding”.
In the first visit by a UK foreign secretary to China for five years, Mr Cleverly told him they will “address the challenges and differences of opinion that all countries have in bilateral relations”.
But Mr Cleverly’s visit has been criticised by China hawks on the Tory benches, who want a tougher line against a state which has sanctioned several British MPs and peers for speaking out about human rights violations.
Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith compared the Government’s approach to the appeasement of Nazi Germany in the 1930s.
The Foreign Secretary said that he had spoken to Chinese officials about human rights, amid concerns about the treatment of the Uighur Muslim minority in the Xinjiang province.
“I’ve had a number of conversations with senior representatives of the Chinese government, and I have raised human rights in every single one of those meetings and I will continue to do so,” he told broadcasters.
“This will continue to be an area of discussion that I bring up alongside other areas, and I’m not going to change my posture on that.
“And I think the Chinese government understand the UK is consistent in our approach. I am consistent in my approach and I will keep raising these issues with the Chinese government.”
It is important that we maintain regular dialogue, regular lines of communication— Foreign Secretary James Cleverly
He added: “The UK, I, am clear-eyed … that we are not going to change China overnight.
“We’re certainly not going to do it in any one individual meeting.
“But it is important that we maintain regular dialogue, regular lines of communication.”
Foreign Affairs Committee chairwoman Alicia Kearns said she had spoken to Mr Cleverly before his visit and urged him to pressure the Chinese on human rights concerns.
“I’m very hopeful that he will land those points about transnational repression. We all know we are seeing increased espionage on British shores and we are also seeing appalling human rights abuses against the Uighur, the Tibetans and many more,” the senior Tory said.
“It is absolutely important that Britain has a role in the Pacific where we make clear that we will stand up for the rule of law, for human rights and for self-determination.”
Ms Kearns told Sky News that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak should “absolutely” meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping if the opportunity arises because that is “how you prevent and deconflict potential issues”.
She said Mr Cleverly’s visit is “an opportunity to bring to an end two decades of failed deterrence” and “to make clear defence is not an escalation, and we won’t tolerate transnational intimidation”.
“But the visit needs to achieve outcomes in Britain’s interests – we await them.”
Her committee has published a report which recognises “the activities of the Chinese Communist Party as a threat to the UK and its interests” and that “the behaviour of the Chinese Communist Party is currently characterised by increased aggression towards the UK”.
The cross-party Foreign Affairs Committee called on the Government to publish an unclassified version of its China strategy to ensure cross-Whitehall coherence on the approach to Beijing, and for all relevant ministers to be briefed on the classified version of the document.
“It should now announce a clear policy of zero tolerance of transnational repression and be prepared to expel any foreign diplomats who engage in intimidation of, or physical attacks on, British citizens or those who seek refuge on UK shore,” the committee said.
The MPs also called for the Government to intensify efforts to discourage the use of Chinese technologies such as surveillance cameras “which are capable of being used for remote data harvesting” by Beijing’s security services.
The report also said the Government has failed to take “adequate action” to protect against the risk of Beijing using “economic coercion” by targeting strategically critical industries which rely on Chinese technology or investment.
On the disputed island of Taiwan, the committee said the UK should put in place “an effective policy of deterrence diplomacy” towards Beijing to protect the Taiwanese right to self-determination.
