Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

China: Threat to UK Interests

Tuesday 2 December 2025 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • China poses a series of national security threats to the UK, including espionage, cyber-attacks, transnational repression, and support for Russia in Ukraine.
  • The Foreign Secretary cannot disclose specific instructions given to Mr Powell before his meeting with the Chinese Foreign Minister due to the quasi-judicial nature of the planning process.
  • The UK regards China as its third-largest trading partner while addressing the security threats it poses.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Lincoln Jopp Con Spelthorne
Climate Foreign Affairs
Context

Discussion about China's national security threats and the Foreign Secretary's authority in decision-making processes involving China.

Question

What assessment she has made of the level of threat that China poses to UK interests?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs (Yvette Cooper)

China poses a series of national security threats, including on espionage, cyber-attacks, transnational repression and support for Russia in its war against Ukraine. We challenge China robustly in relation to all those threats. China is also our third-largest trading partner, and a country that we need to co-operate with on international issues, including trade and climate change.

Answered
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Q2 Jerome Mayhew Con Broadland and Fakenham
Foreign Affairs
Context

A rumour circulating that the Foreign Secretary is not in charge of decisions related to China, questioning her authority after a meeting with Jonathan Powell.

Question

Can the Foreign Secretary demonstrate that she really is in charge by telling us the precise instructions that she gave Mr Powell before he met the Chinese Foreign Minister four days ago?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs (Yvette Cooper)

As the hon. Member will know, a planning process is under way; it is quasi-judicial, so I cannot cut across it. In January, as Home Secretary, I and the former Foreign Secretary, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tottenham (Mr Lammy), wrote a letter during the planning process, setting out a number of national security considerations that required resolution before a decision could be made. Further updates will follow on that.

Partly answered

Not addressed: exact instructions given to Mr Powell

How: Quasi-Judicial

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