Is the UK’s China policy fit for purpose?
Key information
- Date
- Time
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5:00 pm to 6:30 pm
- Venue
- Virtual Event
About this event
Charles Parton, RUSI and the Council on Geostrategy
Abstract
The title assumes that the UK has a China policy. Yet it is not immediately apparent that there is a successor to the 'Golden Era' policy of George Osborne. Certainly attitudes have changed; but how far? The 'tilt towards the Indo-Pacific', which was the centrepiece of the Integrated Review, was not prescriptive on China. How long can its ambiguity continue? If the UK is to be a global leader, surely it must give those it hopes to lead a clear indication of the direction of travel? Whitehall is working on its China policy. Some measures, such as in telecommunications and scientific collaboration or investment, have been taken, but will they have to go further? The speaker will consider the difficulties of balancing the UK's values and security on the one hand, with a desire to maximise trade and investment, and tackling global questions on the other.
Event Recording
Loading the player...Is the UK’s China policy fit for purpose?
About the speaker
Charlie Parton spent 22 years of his 37 year diplomatic career working in or on China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. In his final posting he was seconded to the EU Delegation in Beijing, where, as First Counsellor until late 2016, he focussed on Chinese politics and internal developments, and advised the EU and Member States on how China’s politics might affect their interests. He has also worked in Afghanistan, Cyprus, Libya and Mali. In 2017 he returned to Beijing for four months as Adviser to the British Embassy to cover the CCP’s 19th Congress. He is a senior associate fellow of the Royal United Services Institute, an associate fellow of the Council on Geostrategy, and was a Specialist Adviser on China to the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee for its 2018-9 China Inquiries. He runs his own advisory company on China, China Ink. He has published extensively in academic journals, many UK newspapers, the Spectator, Standpoint and appears regularly on the BBC, France 24, LBC and other media.
Registration
This webinar will take place online via Zoom. Click here to register .
Chair: Professor Steve Tsang
Contact email: sci@soas.ac.uk