Carrie Gracie to give evidence on foreign policy and China to Lords International Relations Committee

The session will focus on the UK's relationship with China, China's political and economic role in the world, and what the UK's foreign policy on China should be.

The inquiry was launched in January 2018 to examine the changing face of international relations and foreign policy, and to assess the UK's strategy and capability to adapt to these changes.

Appearing at 10.40am:

• Ms Carrie Gracie, Journalist and Former China Editor, BBC News
• Professor Steve Tsang, Director, China Institute, School of Oriental and African Studies
  

Questions will include:

• To what extent has President Xi JinPing changed China and its international role compared with the Hu Jintao era?
• China has invested a great deal in diplomacy and soft power. How important is soft power and perception to Beijing? What are China's aims in its use of soft power?
• It has previously been argued that as China grew richer and more engaged with the global economy it would become less autocratic. The elevation of President Xi indicates China may in fact be becoming even less liberally minded. Why did we get China so wrong, and what lessons must we learn for the future?
  

Appearing at 11.40am:

• Mr George Magnus, Author and former UBS Chief Economist
• Mr Stephen King, Senior Economic Advisor, HSBC Group
• Ms Stefania Palma, Asia Editor, The Banker
  

Questions will include:

• To what extent is China's geopolitical power dependent on its economic growth, and how robust is that growth likely to be?
• To what extent is China using its wealth to pursue regional power, for example through Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and how successful has it been?
• The UK has placed a great deal of emphasis on the economic aspects of the UK-China relationship. How important is China to the UK economy? How important is the UK to China?
  

The evidence session will take place in Committee Room 4.