Godovanyuk Kira Anatolyevna – Ph.D. in Political Sciences, Leading Researcher, Centre for British Studies, IE RAS
The article examines the evolution of the British political narrative regarding China. The author shows how public opinion and the political elite’s assessments regarding the PRC changed, and what consequences this had for the development of London’s foreign policy course. During the period of D. Cameron's coalition government, inter-party consensus on the «China question» contributed to a dynamic political and economic dialogue between the two countries. Following the 2016 EU referendum, against the backdrop of Britain’s prevailing desire for strategic independence, issues of human rights in Hong Kong, along with an increased sense of threat from China came to the fore, fueled by the media, public organizations and government agencies, including intelligence services. However, despite the strengthening of the anti-Chinese lobby, there were forces in the political field of the United Kingdom that advocated a more pragmatic approach, including trade and investment cooperation with China. However, their influence on the decision-making process has been significantly reduced. The toughening of the official line towards China was facilitated by the unstable position of the leadership of the Conservative Party, which was influenced by various internal party groups. The leaders of the Conservative Party and a certain part of the elite tried to correct the «Chinese course», maneuvering between Sinophiles and Sinophobes in the political establishment. On the one hand, official rhetoric continued to make statements about the openness of the British economy to Chinese business. On the other hand, demands to create an effective mechanism to repel the «Chinese threat», which poses a danger to democratic and economic processes within the UK, have intensified significantly. The trip of the UK Foreign Secretary J. Cleverley to Beijing on August 30, 2023 showed that the United Kingdom’s policy towards China depends not only on the external context, but also on the domestic political agenda. The article predicts that the inconsistent position of the Cabinet will most probably continue after the July 2024 elections.
UK, China, «special relationship» with the USA, Indo-Pacific region, internal party struggle, national security.
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