David Lammy to raise human rights and support for Russia on China trip

Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free

Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.

UK foreign secretary David Lammy is set to raise Beijing’s support for Russia in Ukraine, concerns over human rights and Hong Kong when he meets his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Friday.

In his first trip to China since taking office, and only the second by a British foreign secretary to the Chinese mainland in the past six years, Lammy will address areas of disagreement between the UK and Beijing, as well as co-operation, according to people familiar with his plans.

His visit is the latest move in the Labour government’s plan to step up engagement with China and Lammy is said to view it as the start of a more consistent dialogue and regular interaction between the two countries.

Britain views the global green transition, health, economic growth and trade as key areas of mutual co-operation. China, including Hong Kong, is the UK’s fourth largest trading partner.

The two countries are also among the five permanent members of the UN’s security council — although they often come down on opposite sides of international debates.

The Labour administration has given early indications that it will pursue a less hardline strategy on China than previous Tory governments, which faced severe pressure from hawkish backbenchers to take a tough approach.

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer first spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping in August and chancellor Rachel Reeves had a phone call with China’s vice-premier He Lifeng last month. She is expected to travel to China in the new year.

Lammy first spoke with Wang at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations foreign ministers meeting in Laos in July.

During his two-day trip Lammy will travel on Friday to Beijing, then on Saturday visit Shanghai, where he will meet UK businesses as well as government representatives.

However, while the UK is aiming to bolster engagement with China, Starmer has also sought to reassure MPs that he will not swerve difficult topics with Beijing.

He confirmed at Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday that Lammy would directly ask the Chinese government to lift the sanctions it has imposed on British parliamentarians.

The Labour peer Baroness Helena Kennedy and Conservative MPs Sir Iain Duncan Smith and Tom Tugendhat are among those who have been personally blacklisted by Beijing after criticising the Chinese government.

Put on the spot by his Tory predecessor Rishi Sunak on the government’s China policy at PMQs, Starmer criticised Beijing’s recent military activity in the strait of Taiwan as “not conducive to peace and stability”.

Starmer has set out a “three c’s” policy on China: to co-operate on issues of mutual interest; compete where interests diverge; and challenge where needed, including on national security and human rights.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has also launched the audit of UK-China relations that Labour promised in its manifesto, according to people familiar with the matter.

The review, into which the Treasury, business department, energy department and Cabinet Office are likely to feed, is expected to report in early 2025.

The Guardian reported this month that the Foreign Office had asked the all-party parliamentary group on Taiwan to delay a potential visit by a former Taiwanese president to the British parliament to avoid angering China ahead of Lammy’s visit. 

Downing Street insisted this week that it was up to the APPG to preside over the invitation of guests to attend the UK parliament.