Observing China is the essential newsletter to understand the UK-PRC relationship, explained in the context of global developments.
David Lammy, Foreign Minister, visited the Philippines last week and made an encouraging statement that London and Manila stand committed to a ‘rules based order.’ He boldly called out the People’s Republic of China (PRC) by name to criticise the increasingly aggressive military actions in the South China Sea, to which both Manila and Beijing lay claim to parts of (or, in Beijing’s case, nearly its entirety).
This is a welcome move, as His Majesty’s (HM) Government also seeks to deepen economic ties with Beijing. Provided that trade does not compromise national security, it should be encouraged, without self-censorship on issues of the PRC’s violation of international norms.
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