Lords to hear evidence about the UK’s trade and security relations with China
Friday 5 March 2021
The House of Lords International Relations and Defence Committee will next week question experts and academics on the UK’s policy towards China, key security and trade interests and the UK’s key partners and allies vis-à-vis-China.
The session will start at 10am on Wednesday 10 March 2021, and will be available to watch live or on demand at Parliament TV.
Giving evidence will be:
10am
- Dr Janka Oertel, Director, Asia Programme, European Council on Foreign Relations;
- Professor Kerry Brown, Director, Lau China Institute, King’s College London; and
- Professor Steve Tsang, Director, China Institute, School of Oriental and African Studies.
Questions will include:
The UK’s approach
- How would you describe the UK’s current policy towards China? In what ways has it changed between the premierships of David Cameron, Theresa May and Boris Johnson?
- What are the UK’s key economic and security interests vis-à-vis China? What are the potential threats to these interests?
China’s approach
- What is the place of the UK in China’s foreign and economic policy under Xi Jinping? What are China’s economic and political interests in the UK?
- The forthcoming Integrated Review is set to outline a greater UK interest in the Indo- Pacific. How do you expect China to perceive a greater UK engagement in its neighbourhood, such as the deployment of HMS Queen Elizabeth to the Asia Pacific? What reaction should we expect?
UK’s partners and allies
- Which are the UK’s principal partners and allies with regard to its engagement with China? What are their principal interests, to what extent do they align with those of the UK, and how can co-operation be strengthened? What can the UK learn from these countries’ relationships with China?
Trade and investment
- How important is China as a current and future trade and investment partner for the UK?
