Rethink relations with China, says Shropshire MP
A Shropshire MP has called for the Government to rethink its relationship with China, saying he believes Britain has become dependent on the communist state.
Owen Paterson, MP for North Shropshire, also accused the Chinese Government of failing to keep the world informed about the full extent of the coronavirus outbreak, allowing it to spread across the world.
Mr Paterson is one of 15 senior Tory MPs to sign a letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson calling for a change in Britain's dealings with China.
Fellow former cabinet ministers Iain Duncan Smith, David Davis and Damian Green have also signed the letter.
They accuse China of failing to comply with international treaties.
Their letter reads: "Legally binding international healthcare regulations require states to provide full information on all potential pandemics. It appears likely that in its early response to the outbreak, China failed to uphold its obligations.
"This omission allowed the disease to spread throughout the world with extraordinarily serious consequences in terms of global health and the economy. The cost to the UK may be, as a Henry Jackson Society report now suggests, over £350 billion."
The letter adds that in future Britain should give greater consideration to the country's long-term needs in the way it deals with China.
"Once the crisis has passed, we urge the Government to rethink our wider relationship with China," the letter said.
"Over time, we have allowed ourselves to grow dependent on China and have failed to take a strategic view of Britain's long-term economic, technical and security needs."
Dominance
Mr Paterson has also been a fierce critic of the decision to allow Chinese technology firm Huawei to provide equipment for Britain's 5G mobile phone network.
Mr Duncan Smith added that China now dominated the mobile phone and computer market, making countries such as Britain dependent on the authoritarian state.
He said that the push towards electric cars would add to this, as China leads the world in battery technology.
Mr Duncan Smith said central and local government were queuing up to strike deals with Chinese battery suppliers. But he said this could present a security risk as the batteries contained a 'backdoor' where they could be immobilised by their suppliers.
"This dominance is because the totalitarian government of China has implemented strategic plans to secure these markets for China, one by one," said Mr Duncan Smith.
"Of course, this has been made easier by our complacency, our rush for cheaper and cheaper products and the absence of a government strategic view about crucial areas of production."
The comments come as a British foreign policy think-tank suggested that the UK Government should sue China for damage to the economy
The report, by the Henry Jackson Society, says there is evidence China directly breached international healthcare treaty responsibilities at the time of the outbreak last year.
It outlines10 legal avenues major nations could take to pursue damages from the Chinese Government. Damage to the UK economy has been estimated at £351 billion.
