← Back to Westminster Hall Debates
[Christina Rees in the Chair]
15 May 2024
Lead MP
Bob Seely
Isle of Wight
Con
Responding Minister
Andrew Mitchell
Tags
EconomyClimateBrexitForeign AffairsScience & Technology
Word Count: 13464
Other Contributors: 7
At a Glance
Bob Seely raised concerns about [christina rees in the chair] in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
Seely urges the Government to develop a coherent strategy against China's authoritarianism, including diversifying supply chains, mandating DNA testing for cotton from Xinjiang, treating China as a developed economy at the WTO, and increasing military spending. He also calls on the Government to address issues like Confucius Institutes spying and the large-scale illicit supply of fentanyl.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
Bob Seely is concerned about the Chinese Communist Party's aggressive policies and their impact on global security, including cyber threats, trade dumping, intellectual property theft, and espionage. He highlights specific incidents such as GCHQ warnings about China's cyber threat, arrests of spies in the UK, and Huawei's dominance in 5G technology. Seely also mentions the CCP's view of democracy and freedom as false ideological trends, which poses a challenge to western values. Additionally, he expresses worry over DNA biotech research and cellular modules controlled by Chinese companies, potentially compromising national security.
Brendan O'Hara
SNP
Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber
He highlighted concerns about China's belt and road initiative, mistreatment of religious minorities, the use of national security laws in Hong Kong, CCP activities in monitoring pro-democracy activists, and indebtedness among developing nations due to Chinese investment. O'Hara also criticised the UK for paying lip service to human rights abuses without taking practical action.
Catherine West
Lab
Hornsey and Friern Barnet
She noted the shift in China's tone over the years, highlighting concerns about human rights abuses in Xinjiang and Hong Kong, increased military activity in the Taiwan Strait, and destabilising activities in the South China Sea. She emphasised the need for a consistent and long-term approach to managing relations with China, stressing the importance of stability and predictability. Asked the Minister to respond or write a detailed letter regarding financial involvement in Thames Water and nuclear power plants.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Jim Shannon highlighted China's human rights abuses, particularly religious freedom violations against Tibetan Buddhists. He criticised the Chinese Communist Party for sanctioning him and others who speak out about these issues. Shannon emphasised that economic interests must not override moral obligations to protect human rights, citing threats to Hong Kong and Taiwan as examples of China's aggressive actions.
Justin Madders
Lab
Ellesmere Port and Bromborough
Mr. Madders praised the hon. Member for Isle of Wight's opening remarks, highlighting the challenges posed by China's influence and aggressive policies. He emphasized the need to recognize China's risks while maintaining fair competition in sectors like automotive manufacturing. Mr. Madders expressed concern about Chinese imports affecting domestic production capacity and called for a review similar to the EU's investigation into subsidies that could undercut European-made vehicles. He also questioned the lack of action on critical infrastructure investment from China, including water companies and nuclear power plants.
Mark Logan
Con
Lincolnshire North East
I am concerned about the tone and mood of debates on China, feeling that fear drives discussions rather than confidence in our system. I worry that this may signal to others, including China, that it has an upper hand in various forms of engagement. Mark Logan also questions the UK's identity and priorities in the world and suggests reflecting on what China thinks of us. He notes that while there is a 95% approval rating for the Communist Party of China among Chinese citizens, this could have changed due to recent difficulties. Logan expresses concern over regulations driven by fear rather than innovation.
Neil Coyle
Lab
Bermondsey and Old Southwark
The MP thanked the hon. Member for securing the debate and expressed concern over the pace at which the situation is being assessed, calling for a cross-Government audit of the Chinese Communist party's influence in the UK. Welcomed the distinction made by the hon. Member for Isle of Wight between the Chinese people and their government, stating in Mandarin that he likes the country and its people but is concerned about the political leadership. I intervene on polling issues in China, questioning the consequences of voicing dissatisfaction with the Chinese Government. I also raise concerns about corruption at local levels and the need for further measures to support Hong Kong nationals and those seeking British national overseas status.
Stewart McDonald
SNP
Glasgow South
Mr McDonald congratulated Bob Seely on securing the debate and emphasised that China's challenge is both a domestic and foreign policy issue. He highlighted issues of economic, security, and technology challenges posed by China, along with its impact on democratic values and national resilience. Mr McDonald raised concerns about Scotland's export levels to China being healthy but pointed out risks in education and energy sectors, particularly the dependency of Scottish universities on Chinese funding and investment in critical infrastructure from entities linked to hostile foreign powers.
Government Response
Andrew Mitchell
Government Response
It is a pleasure to appear under your skilled chairship this afternoon, Ms Rees. I am very grateful to my hon. Friend the Member for Isle of Wight (Bob Seely) for securing this debate, and I pay tribute to his advocacy for the people of Hong Kong through the all-party group. He is an expert in the area that we are addressing this afternoon, and I particularly wanted to listen to him and respond to this debate on behalf of the Government. My hon. Friend asked a number of questions but started by making it clear that the relationship with China is far more complex than the relationship with Russia. In anything one does with international development, one sees how very true that is. He also spoke about dumping, as indeed did the hon. Member for Ellesmere Port and Neston (Justin Madders). Having left the European Union, the UK has numerous trade remedy measures in place to protect against practices that have an adverse effect on the UK's prosperity and security. We will always respond vigorously to unfair trading practices wherever they occur by working with the Trade Remedies Authority to protect the UK's interests. My hon. Friend the Member for Isle of Wight asked me about genomic research, and if he will allow me, I would like to think about that and write to him in response to his question. He also raised the issue of fentanyl. We recognise the importance of the fentanyl issue to the United States, and we welcome the US-China dialogue on that. The hon. Member for Ellesmere Port and Neston warned of the need for vigilance, and he made a number of extremely important comments in that respect. He also, in response to an intervention by the hon. Member for Bermondsey and Old Southwark (Neil Coyle), underlined the difference between the CCP and the Chinese people. The hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon) spoke up, as he always does, for the importance of human rights, and he urged that we should not allow economic interests to override our moral obligations. He spoke about freedom of religious belief. I will come on to that, but we are very grateful for what he said. The hon. Member for Argyll and Bute (Brendan O'Hara) discussed a number of different aspects of the wide issues we are discussing. As I hope to show, his suggestion that we are merely paying lip service to these vital issues is simply not correct. China is a major global actor with a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. It has an impact on almost every global issue of importance to the UK, and therefore no significant global problem can be solved without China. We must engage with Beijing on issues affecting us all. The Government recognise the epoch-defining challenge presented by China under the CCP, and our response and approach are based on three key pillars: protecting national security through measures such as the National Security and Investment Act 2021 and enhanced export controls; deepening co-operation with allies and partners to call out human rights violations; and engaging with China where it is in our interest, on global challenges like climate change and artificial intelligence. The UK continues to lead international efforts to address China's human rights record, including sanctions against Chinese actors responsible for cyber-attacks. We have also taken swift action regarding Hong Kong, suspending our extradition treaty indefinitely and extending the arms embargo applied to mainland China since 1989 to include Hong Kong. We introduced a British National (Overseas) immigration path granting over 191,000 visas to date. During her recent visit to mainland China and Hong Kong, the Minister for the Indo-Pacific met Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Deng Li in Beijing and Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui in Hong Kong, making clear the Government's deep concerns about the situation in Hong Kong. We consistently raise human rights concerns with the Chinese authorities at the highest level, including Xinjiang, and encourage China to use its influence to avert further escalation in the Middle East.
▸
Assessment & feedback
Summary accuracy
About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.