Tory Leadership Race! Rishi Sunak calls China as top threat to UK

London, Jul 26: Amid the ongoing bid for Tory leadership and the race to become the next British Prime Minister, former Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak has come out all guns blazing against China. While describing China as a top threat to the UK, Sunak promised to close all of China's Confucius Institutes in the UK

 

 

 

 

Sunak said in a Twitter thread, "China and the Chinese Communist Party represent the largest threat to Britain and the world's security and prosperity this century." While describing China as a top threat to the UK, Sunak promised to close all of China's Confucius Institutes in the UK and build a new alliance of free nations to tackle Chinese cyber-threats. He said, "I would close all 30 of China's Confucius Institutes in the UK - the highest number in the world. Almost all UK government spending on Mandarin language teaching at school is channeled through university-based Confucius Institutes, thereby promoting Chinese soft power."

 

 

 

 

 

Sunak's tough stand on Beijing comes after his rival in the race to lead the ruling Conservative Party, Liz Truss, accused him of being weak on Russia and China. Even a Chinese state media outlet had once described Sunak as the only candidate in the contest with a "pragmatic view" on developing UK-China ties. The Indian-origin UK PM contender said he will expand MI5's reach to provide greater support to British businesses and universities to counter Chinese industrial espionage. He said, "We'll work across government and with security services to build a toolkit to help companies protect their intellectual property."

 

 

He also promised to protect key British assets and to examine the need to prevent Chinese acquisitions of key British assets including strategically sensitive tech firms. Last week, Sunak and UK foreign secretary Liz Truss emerged as the final two candidates in the country's leadership race of the ruling Conservative party. International Trade Minister Penny Mordaunt was knocked out in the final round of ballot among Conservative lawmakers. Sunak won 137 votes and Truss 113.