Joint Committee to probe UK-China relationship and its impact on national security
On Monday, MPs and Peers will explore the nature of the UK’s relationship with China amid fierce ongoing debate about the UK’s approach.
The Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy will explore how the government is balancing its desires to develop new dialogues with China on certain issues with strengthening resilience against the security challenges China poses to the UK.
Witnesses will include Chris Patten, former governor of Hong Kong, Lord Sumption, former Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, and Isabel Hilton OBE, Chair of the Great Britain China Centre.
Members are likely to ask how the UK’s stance fits into wider foreign policy goals, whether it is aligned with its partners, including in the G7, on China, and whether it can learn lessons from the approach taken by other countries.
Meeting details
Members are also likely to ask how effective UK legislation is at addressing threats posed by China such as espionage, interference, transnational repression and intellectual property theft.
Monday’s session is part of the Committee’s inquiry into the UK’s National Security Strategy and how adequately it addresses the challenges facing the UK, but it follows the Committee’s two recent sessions on government and ministerial decision-making in relation to espionage cases.
It also comes as the government delayed a planning decision on a controversial new Chinese embassy on the site of the former Royal Mint in London.