China is biggest state-based threat to UK economic security: Sunak
2 Min Read
In an undiluted statement, Sunak says that Britain will consider supplying weaponry to Taiwan.
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UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak
In his latest statement, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has claimed that China is a systemic threat to UK values and the "most state-based threat to our economic security."
The Prime Minister is in Bali for the G20 conference, where he will meet with other international leaders, most notably China's Xi Jinping.
In his undiluted statement, Sunak said that Britain will consider supplying weaponry to Taiwan.
The Prime Minister stated that it is "critical" that the UK fights itself against such threats, such as through the National Security Investment Act, which permits the government to restrict investment in UK enterprises that may jeopardize the country's security.
“But I also think that China is an indisputable fact of the global economy and we’re not going to be able to resolve shared global challenges like climate change, or public health, or indeed actually dealing with Russia and Ukraine, without having a dialogue with them,” he said.
Commenting on the possibility of meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping, Sunak said: “Hopefully I will have a chance to talk to him too.”
When asked if he agreed with his predecessor that the UK should supply guns to Taiwan, Sunak said it will be reviewed as part of a revamp of the review of foreign and defense policy.
“We’re looking at all of these policies as part of our refresh of the integrated review. Our policy on Taiwan is obviously there should be no unilateral change to the status and there should be a peaceful resolution to that situation. We stand ready to support Taiwan as we do in standing up to Chinese aggression,” he added.
It is worth noting that the Diplomatic tension between China and Britain over Taiwan escalated following US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taipei, despite China's repeated warnings and threats not to mess with the country's territorial integrity and sovereignty. China considers Taiwan part of its territory and opposes any direct official foreign contact with the island.
