What difference is the revelation that China was behind two cyber attacks – on the Electoral Commission and UK parliamentarians – really going to make when it comes to the government’s approach to Beijing? Oliver Dowden told MPs today that the two attacks ‘demonstrate a clear and persistent pattern of behaviour that signal hostile intent from China.’

But he came in for criticism for the scale of the government response – just two individuals and one entity associated with the attack have been sanctioned, and there is a promise to continue to ‘call out’ this activity in the strongest terms. The Chinese ambassador is also being summoned to respond to the announcement.

The deputy prime minister faced sustained questioning from opposition MPs about Lord Cameron’s links to China. Shadow cabinet office minister Pat McFadden asked whether there had been any investigation of the claims in an Intelligence and Security Committee report that Cameron’s job as president of a UK-China investment fund was ‘in some part engineered by the Chinese state to lend credibility to Chinese investment, as well as to the broader China brand.’ Others, including Chris Bryant, complained once again that Cameron does not come to the Commons to answer questions.

The criticism didn’t just come from Labour, though. Inevitably, plenty of China-sceptic Tory backbenchers had plenty to say, with Tim Loughton – one of the MPs sanctioned by Beijing – telling Dowden he was ‘underwhelmed’ by what he’d just heard, and Suella Braverman arguing that China should be put in the ‘enhanced sphere’ under the National Security Act.

Dowden’s defence of the UK’s response and its wider stance on China underlined that there is still ambiguity within government about how to deal with Beijing.

QOSHE - Is the UK’s China policy about to change? - Isabel Hardman
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Is the UK’s China policy about to change?

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25.03.2024

What difference is the revelation that China was behind two cyber attacks – on the Electoral Commission and UK parliamentarians – really going to make when it comes to the government’s approach to Beijing? Oliver Dowden told MPs today that the two attacks ‘demonstrate a clear and persistent pattern of behaviour that signal hostile intent from China.’

But he came in for criticism for the scale of the government response – just two........

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