China is the largest threat to Britain, says Rishi Sunak

The 42-year-old former Chancellor outlined a number of measures for a new NATO-style military coalition of free nations to protect against Chinese technology aggression if elected Prime Minister. "I would close all 30 of China's Confucius Institutes in the UK, the most in the world," Sunak declared as part of his Conservative Party leadership campaign pitch.

Team Newsable

UK, First Published Jul 25, 2022, 4:10 PM IST | Last Updated Jul 25, 2022, 4:10 PM IST

China is the "biggest threat" to Britain's and the world's security and prosperity this century, and there is proof that it has targeted countries ranging from the United States to India, according to UK Prime Ministerial contender Rishi Sunak on Monday.

China and the Chinese Communist Party pose the greatest danger to the security and prosperity of the United Kingdom and the rest of the globe. In this century, he plans to form a new worldwide coalition of free states to combat Chinese cyber-threats and exchange best practises in technology security.

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Given proof that China has targeted countries ranging from the United States to India, Rishi is convinced that he can form a wide coalition that includes countries from all around the world. The UK will coordinate efforts to influence international standards and norms on cybersecurity, telecommunications security, and combating intellectual property theft as part of this new security alliance, according to a statement from the "Ready4Rishi" campaign.

The UK-born Indian-origin MP for Richmond in North Yorkshire also pledged to close all Chinese institutes in the country, accusing China of stealing UK technology and infiltrating universities while "propping up [Russian President] Putin's fascist invasion of Ukraine," bullying Taiwan and violating human rights in Xinjiang and Hong Kong, as well as suppressing their currency to continually rig the global economy in their favour.

"They are saddling poor countries with unmanageable debt, which they are utilising to take assets or hold a diplomatic gun to their heads. In violation of their human rights, they torture, jail, and indoctrinate their own people, notably in Xinjiang and Hong Kong," he claimed. He further claimed they have consistently manipulated the world economy in their favour by suppressing their currency.

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Sunak, who is battling Foreign Secretary Liz Truss for the top Downing Street job to replace Boris Johnson, focused his message on China's aggressive policies on Monday ahead of a key televised debate on the BBC, and also pledged to expand the reach of Britain's security services to counter industrial espionage.

"I intend to broaden MI5's reach in order to better assist British firms and universities in combating Chinese industrial espionage. We'll collaborate across government and with security services to develop a toolbox to assist businesses in protecting their intellectual property," he added.

Sunak has pledged to evaluate all UK-Chinese scientific collaborations that might aid China technologically or have military ramifications. "I will collaborate with [US] President Biden and other international leaders to strengthen the West's resistance to the challenge posed by China," he said.

(With PTI inputs)

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