Britain’s new Labour government has already begun to make clear that it is more inclined to appease than to resist China. And many fear that Foreign Secretary David Lammy’s impending two-day trip to China will show the world more of the same approach.
However, the defenders of China’s many victims are not giving up.
Free Tibet has published “An Open Letter to Foreign Secretary David Lammy” urging him “not to sacrifice human rights for trade.”
Your meeting takes place at a historic low point for human rights in Tibet as the Chinese government increases its control in Tibet and intensifies policies designed to eradicate the distinct culture, way of life, and identity of the Tibetan people. Meanwhile, increasing instances of transnational repression are being inflicted on Tibetan communities around the world, including the UK. It is critical that you use your first visit to China as Foreign Secretary to raise these crucial issues directly with Beijing.
The Independent wants to know, “Will David Lammy’s trip to Beijing fix the UK’s China problem?” (October 17, 2024). The UK has many China problems. But:
At the top of the list might be the repression of civil liberties and especially free speech in Hong Kong, as exemplified in the detention and trial of the businessman, democracy campaigner and publisher, Jimmy Lai. As a British citizen, Lai could reasonably expect vocal support from the Foreign Office, but his family and his lawyer say the only recent UK foreign secretary to have received them was Lord David Cameron.
Then there is China’s increasingly assertive conduct towards Taiwan….
A further issue, on which MPs of all parties have made a stand, is the repression of Uyghurs in their home region of Xinjiang….
Some of the British government’s public words seem encouraging. As reported by Associated Press, which talks about Labour’s goal of “resetting” relations with China:
Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s spokesperson, Dave Pares, said Britain wants to engage China but would challenge Beijing over issues including the jailing of Jimmy Lai, the Hong Kong activist and publisher of the now-shuttered Apple Daily newspaper who has been in custody since 2020.
Pares said securing Lai’s release was a “priority” for Britain’s government. Lai, 76, has British citizenship and his legal team has been pressing British authorities to do more to help him.
“We are calling on the Hong Kong authorities to end their politically motivated prosecution and immediately release Jimmy Lai,” Pares said. He added that Lammy had raised the case during a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at a gathering of Southeast Asian leaders in Laos in July, “and will continue to raise it.”
But we also hear from Pares that “What the U.K. wants to have with China is pragmatic engagement.” “Pragmatic” meaning what, exactly? Uttering a few pro forma declarations about human rights and then continuing with business as usual?
And how does Labour’s apparent reversal of policy regarding the Uyghur genocide fit into its pragmatic approach? According to a Telegraph report, “Labour backtracks on Uyghur ‘genocide’ stance as Lammy heads to China.”
“The Foreign Secretary will travel to Beijing on Friday, amid concerns the Government is softening its stance on human rights abuses in China in an attempt to boost growth….
“On Thursday, however, a spokesman for the Prime Minister repeatedly refused to state that Labour still stood by its previous position, now it was in power.”
