Starmer should launch a pre-emptive strike against China

Thirdthe Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary David Lammy should meet at the earliest opportunity with Sebastien Lai, the son of one of Hong Kong’s most high-profile political prisoners, 76-year-old British citizen and businessman Jimmy Lai. Lai, who has been in prison for over three and a half years, is currently on trial under Hong Kong’s draconian National Security Law and could die in prison. Sunak never responded to Sebastien’s repeated requests for a meeting, and it was only last December – three years after Lai’s first detention – that Foreign Secretary David Cameron agreed to meet. Sir Keir and Lammy should do so urgently and make it a priority to demand Lai’s release.

FourthUK universities should be supported to reduce their dependence on China, diversify their funding sources and welcome more international students. This does not mean turning away Chinese students, but it does mean looking more closely at where they come from, being more selective about which Chinese institutions to work with and, crucially, broadening the pool of international students so that our higher education sector does not favour one market over others. The CCP’s influence on our campuses poses a serious threat to academic freedom, freedom of expression and our long-term security and must be urgently tackled.

Fifththe new government should take transnational repression seriously and develop a range of tools to prevent infiltration, intimidation or harassment of both diaspora communities and prominent British critics of the CCP. I am not the only one who has faced threats and attacks – indeed, several British parliamentarians and academics have also endured endless harassment. These incidents and the cyberattacks from China on Parliament, the Electoral Commission, the Ministry of Defence and other institutions cannot go unchallenged. And should the horrific incident of October 2022, when peaceful Hong Kong protesters were beaten up by Chinese diplomats and dragged onto the grounds of the Chinese consulate in Manchester, be repeated, the new government must respond much more robustly than the last. It should immediately expel such agents and hold them accountable for unwanted person.

SixthSir Keir could check what progress has been made in removing Hikvision surveillance cameras from government buildings. He could ensure that CCP representatives are not offered hospitality while British parliamentarians are sanctioned by Beijing. And he should reassure British National Overseas (BNO) status holders from Hong Kong that they are welcome in this country, that their government will fight for their right to access their Hong Kong pension savings, and that if they want to study here they will pay domestic, not international, tuition fees. At the UN, he could ensure that the UK takes a leading role in promoting human rights resolutions on China in New York and Geneva.

And last, seventhTo achieve economic growth, it is vital that the sources of trade and investment that support that growth are diverse, that we reduce reliance on any single market, and that we “de-risk” business relationships with China. No one would seriously suggest stopping all trade with China, but we should think seriously about which sectors we allow Chinese investment in and how ethical our supply chains are. We should review investments and reduce the burden of authoritarian regimes on our critical infrastructure. And in its goal to deliver clean energy, the government should be aware of the dangers of a dependence on Chinese electric vehicles – and their potential to be used for surveillance purposes.

These are just some of the things Sir Keir needs to think about. He also needs to think about how to hold China to account for the Covid-19 pandemic it has inflicted on the world, and make it a priority to stand by Taiwan and do everything possible to repel an invasion of this beautiful democracy and prevent a war that would be disastrous for us all. He should also have at least a courtesy call – in person or online – with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who is currently recovering from knee surgery in New York. Only then will he fulfil his vow to be “robust” towards China.

Benedict Rogers is co-founder and executive director of Hong Kong Watch, advisor to the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) and author of “The China Nexus: Thirty Years in and Around the Tyranny of the Chinese Communist Party”.