Britain needs China to reach its net zero targets, the Business Secretary has said, as Cabinet ministers insisted a row over spying should not result in a breaking of ties with Beijing.
Kemi Badenoch’s comments came as Tory backbenchers demanded action against China in the wake of allegations that a parliamentary researcher was a spy for the country.
She was one of a series of senior ministers, including the Prime Minister, to speak out in favour of continuing to engage with Beijing despite the claims.
On a tour of a Mini car factory in Oxford as she announced a £600 million investment to produce only electric cars by 2030, Mrs Badenoch said: “At the moment, China is leading on this technology, so we wouldn’t be able to get to where we want to get to on net zero by completely stopping or banning Chinese products.
“You can’t exclude Chinese-made products from the battery ecosystem.”
It came as Downing Street insisted that the UK had to be “in the room” with China, and Rishi Sunak argued that “speaking frankly and directly” with Beijing was in the country’s national interests.
Jeremy Hunt also backed the approach to China, despite the revelation that a British citizen in his late 20s who worked with senior Conservative MPs with access to highly sensitive or classified material had been arrested on suspicion of spying for Beijing. The researcher has denied the claims.
Speaking on Monday, the Chancellor said: “Diplomacy is about talking to everyone, and Britain will always understand that.”
The timing of the leak about the alleged spy, who was arrested in March, has prompted some suspicion that it was intended to derail a perceived warming in relations between London and Beijing.
Last month, James Cleverly, the Foreign Secretary, became the first senior British politician to make an official visit to China in five years, and Mr Sunak has backed away from a pledge by his predecessor Liz Truss to officially label Beijing a threat to Britain.
During her 49 days in Downing Street, Ms Truss was moving to formally declare China a “threat”, but Mr Sunak has used softer language, talking instead about “an epoch-defining challenge”.
China also remains invited to the UK’s Artificial Intelligence summit later this year.
Senior Tories challenge approach
Ms Truss was among a string of prominent Tory backbenchers to vehemently challenge the Government’s approach in the wake of the spying row on Monday.
The former prime minister called China “the largest threat, both to the world and to the United Kingdom, for freedom and democracy” and asked why the UK Government had not designated the country as such.
Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the former Conservative leader, warned there was a potential “espionage cell” in Westminster and demanded to know when the Foreign Office knew about the latest suspect.
Tim Loughton, a Conservative MP who has been sanctioned by China, said the Government’s approach was “clearly not working” and warned that the country posed “a threat”.
He called for a “full audit” of Beijing’s influence, adding “the tentacles of the regime extend now to Parliament, company board rooms, in schools, in campuses and local government up and down the country”.
Mr Cleverly was also under pressure to reveal whether he brought up the alleged China parliamentary spy case when he visited Beijing last month.
The Telegraph understands he did not bring up the specific case with Chinese counterparts, but did more broadly warn against interference in UK democratic institutions.
It comes amid a row over whether the individual who was arrested should be named.
On Monday, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Commons Speaker, warned MPs off using parliamentary privilege to name the alleged spy or provide details of the case.
However, campaigners have warned that the arrest has caused fear and panic among the opponents of China’s ruling Communist party and called for authorities to name the suspect to reassure those who have sought sanctuary in the UK.
In a statement issued through lawyers on Monday, the individual insisted that he was innocent.
He said: “I feel forced to respond to the media accusations that I am a ‘Chinese spy’. It is wrong that I should be obliged to make any form of public comment on the misreporting that has taken place.
“However, given what has been reported, it is vital that it is known that I am completely innocent. I have spent my career to date trying to educate others about the challenge and threats presented by the Chinese Communist Party.
“To do what has been claimed against me in extravagant news reporting would be against everything I stand for.”
A second man, in his 30s, thought to be a university academic, was also arrested. Both arrests took place in March. The two men have been released on bail.
Since entering No 10 in October, Mr Sunak has rowed back on his tough rhetoric during the Tory leadership campaign on China and sought to take a more balanced approach.
He has argued that the UK must engage with China if it wants progress on issues such as climate change and global growth – while insisting he is willing to call out Beijing when needed.
The Prime Minister restated his position when he addressed MPs on Monday about the G20 summit in India, which he attended over the weekend.
Mr Sunak said: “The whole House is rightly appalled about reports of espionage in this building. The sanctity of this place must be protected.
“And the right of members to speak their minds without fear or sanction must be maintained. We will defend our democracy – and our security.”
But he also defended the wider engagement: “By speaking frankly and directly we will ensure our messages are heard clearly and that our interests and values are protected and promoted.”
The Prime Minister added later: “It’s through that leadership, working with our allies and partners that we’ll increase our security, grow our economy, and deliver on the priorities of the British people.”
That Chinese investment has played a sizable role in major British infrastructure projects adds complexity to the UK’s approach.
Chinese money was also critical in helping to fund forthcoming UK nuclear power plants, though the Government has more recently been moving to lock Beijing out of critical national infrastructure.
However Oliver Dowden, the Deputy Prime Minister, indicated that China could be formally designated as a potential risk to Britain’s “safety and national interests” under new security laws.
Mr Dowden said there was a “strong case” for including China in the “enhanced” tier of the foreign influence registration scheme, though declined to give a firm decision.
https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiZmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnRlbGVncmFwaC5jby51ay9wb2xpdGljcy8yMDIzLzA5LzExL2JyaXRhaW4tbmVlZHMtY2hpbmEtcmVhY2gtbmV0LXplcm8tc2F5cy1rZW1pLWJhZGVub2NoL9IBAA?oc=5
2023-09-11 21:08:00Z
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