Britain's foreign secretary has called on China to investigate allegations that its companies supplied weapons to Russian forces in Ukraine after the US imposed sanctions on a host of Chinese companies.
Lammy is on a diplomatic visit to Beijing as the new Labor government tries to smooth relations with China. The British foreign secretary told his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi that the UK and China have a "common interest in European peace and ending the war" in Ukraine. He argued that China's supply of equipment to Russia "risks damaging China's relationship with Europe while helping to sustain Russia's war," according to a British government statement.
"The Foreign Secretary urged Wang Yi to take all measures to investigate and prevent Chinese companies from supplying the Russian military," the statement said.
In turn, China, via state broadcaster CGTN, reported only that the two had "exchanged views on international and regional issues such as the crisis in Ukraine."
The comments come just a day after the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on two Chinese firms, accusing Beijing of designing, manufacturing and exporting military drones that Russia deployed to Ukraine. China has rejected the US accusation, saying it has "never provided lethal weapons to any party in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine". Beijing pointed to the existence of "strict" export controls.
Diplomatic mission
Lammy's visit comes at a time when the UK is trying to ease relations with China after a difficult period under the Conservatives. On the hot-button issue of human rights, the British government has announced that Lammy has raised the treatment of the Uighur ethnic group in Xinjiang. China has been accused of using forced labour, and there is talk of genocide from some Western politicians. The British statement said only that this was "an area where the UK and China should engage, even where views differ".
This is a far cry from Labour's position while in opposition. As shadow foreign secretary, Lammy said last March that Labour would seek legal avenues to declare China's crackdown on Uighur Muslims as "genocide", acting "multilaterally with our partners" through international courts.
On 18 October, a spokesman for Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that the determination of genocide would be something for "competent international courts" to decide. When pressed about Lamy's remarks in opposition, the government said it "cannot speak to comments made before the government administration."
"The meeting was constructive across the full range of bilateral relations, from areas of pragmatic cooperation to contentious issues," the British Foreign Office said in a statement. The two sides agreed to maintain "channels of communication." The British government believes there is room for the two countries to work together on green energy and artificial intelligence, it added. | BGNES
