Xi Jinping has praised the Labour Party for its treatment of the Chinese regime after the president met with Starmer overnight. He said:
“In the past, Labour governments made important contributions to the growth of China-UK relations… China stands ready to develop with the UK a long-term strategic partnership. It will benefit our two peoples.”
Starmer and Xi met for an hour and twenty minutes. Starmer said “it is vital that we build a more sophisticated relationship.” He has simultaneously played down the chances of securing the release of wrongfully imprisoned Jimmy Lai…
The Chinese president attacked the Tories for causing “twists and turns” in the CCP’s relationship with Britain. No wonder they love Labour – Jonathan Powell gave them Hong Kong the first time and a spy embassy this time…
Shadow national security minister Alicia Kearns told Times Radio she would have put a precondition on a China trip if she were PM:
“I would have put a precondition that I was not going to go if I was prime minister, unless Jimmy Lai was coming home with me. I would also put a precondition in the six months leading up to the visit that I wanted a reduction in hostile acts against our country. But that’s not what we saw. And actually, in contrast, what we saw was clearly the Chinese Communist Party did put a precondition, which was that the new embassy in London had to be signed off. So why is it okay for China to set preconditions and to make very clear red lines about what they require for a visit, but we go without having put any ourselves?”