UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly will argue for constructive engagement with Beijing. AP
UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly will argue for constructive engagement with Beijing. AP
UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly will argue for constructive engagement with Beijing. AP
UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly will argue for constructive engagement with Beijing. AP

Isolating China is ‘betrayal of national interest’, UK minister will say


Neil Murphy
  • English
  • Arabic

UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly will claim isolating China is a “betrayal” of the national interest in a speech setting out the government’s position on Beijing.

Mr Cleverly will tell those at the Lord Mayor’s Easter Banquet in London that the UK must engage directly with China to promote stability.

He is set to deny China should be classed as a “threat”, because its scale and complexity cannot be reduced to one-word descriptions.

Mr Cleverly will break from tradition by dedicating the speech — in which foreign secretaries typically set out their views on a broad range of foreign policy issues — entirely to talk of Beijing.

“No significant global problem, from climate change to pandemic prevention, from economic stability to nuclear proliferation, can be solved without China,” he will say at the event on Tuesday, according to excerpts of his speech that were released early.

“To give up on China would be to give up on addressing humanity’s biggest problems.

“It would be clear and easy, perhaps even satisfying, for me to declare a new Cold War and say that our goal is to isolate China.

“Clear, easy, satisfying — and wrong. Because it would be a betrayal of our national interest and a wilful misunderstanding of the modern world.”

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said that while the speech would push for constructive engagement with Beijing, the UK must be realistic about its authoritarianism.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly would like direct engagement with China, and says isolation is a betrayal of UK interests. AFP
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly would like direct engagement with China, and says isolation is a betrayal of UK interests. AFP

“We do not expect our disagreements with China to be swiftly overcome, but we do expect China to observe the laws and obligations that it has freely accepted,” Mr Cleverly will say.

“Peaceful coexistence has to begin with respecting fundamental laws and institutions, including the UN Charter, which protects every country against invasion.”

Mr Cleverly will say the UK’s “multifaceted” approach must strengthen national security protection whenever Beijing poses a threat, deepen co-operation with allies in the Indo-Pacific region to uphold international law, and engage directly with China.

He will also urge China to be transparent about its military expansion, saying the UK is “prepared to be open about our presence in the Indo-Pacific” and encouraging China to be “equally open”.

“Secrecy can only increase the risk of tragic miscalculation,” Mr Cleverly will say.

The speech will criticise Chinese “repression” and pledge that the UK will continue to highlight the situation involving the Uighur people.

Mr Cleverly is understood to want to visit China after warning that the UK should not “pull the shutters down” on Beijing.

His comments could anger Tory backbenchers, many of whom hold a more aggressive stance on Beijing and have voiced concerns about possible appeasement.

Former prime minister Liz Truss urged ministers to ensure Beijing could never join the Indo-Pacific trade bloc — concerns that were echoed by former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith.

Ms Truss had been expected to designate China as a “threat” during her short-lived leadership, but Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has instead described the nation as a “systemic challenge”.

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Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
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Based: Dubai and Bahrain
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Fixtures
Sunday January 5 - Oman v UAE
Monday January 6 - UAE v Namibia
Wednesday January 8 - Oman v Namibia
Thursday January 9 - Oman v UAE
Saturday January 11 - UAE v Namibia
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia

UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Waheed Ahmed, Zawar Farid, Darius D’Silva, Karthik Meiyappan, Jonathan Figy, Vriitya Aravind, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Basil Hameed, Chirag Suri

How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
  1. Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
  2. Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
  3. Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
  4. Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
  5. Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
  6. The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
  7. Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269

*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year

MATCH INFO

Champions League quarter-final, first leg

Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City, Tuesday, 11pm (UAE)

Matches can be watched on BeIN Sports

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• There are six libraries in Abu Dhabi emirate run by the Department of Culture and Tourism, including one in Al Ain and Al Dhafra.

• Libraries are free to visit and visitors can consult books, use online resources and study there. Most are open from 8am to 8pm on weekdays, closed on Fridays and have variable hours on Saturdays, except for Qasr Al Watan which is open from 10am to 8pm every day.

• In order to borrow books, visitors must join the service by providing a passport photograph, Emirates ID and a refundable deposit of Dh400. Members can borrow five books for three weeks, all of which are renewable up to two times online.

• If users do not wish to pay the fee, they can still use the library’s electronic resources for free by simply registering on the website. Once registered, a username and password is provided, allowing remote access.

• For more information visit the library network's website.

List of officials:

Referees: Chris Broad, David Boon, Jeff Crowe, Andy Pycroft, Ranjan Madugalle and Richie Richardson.

Umpires: Aleem Dar, Kumara Dharmasena, Marais Erasmus, Chris Gaffaney, Ian Gould, Richard Illingworth, Richard Kettleborough, Nigel Llong, Bruce Oxenford, Ruchira Palliyaguruge, Sundaram Ravi, Paul Reiffel, Rod Tucker, Michael Gough, Joel Wilson and Paul Wilson.

The specs

Engine: 3.8-litre V6

Power: 295hp at 6,000rpm

Torque: 355Nm at 5,200rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 10.7L/100km

Price: Dh179,999-plus

On sale: now 

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Results

7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (Dirt) 1,600m; Winner: RB Kings Bay, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)

7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: AF Ensito, Fernando Jara, Mohamed Daggash

8pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,400m; Winner: AF Sourouh, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel

8.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,800m; Winner: Baaher, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel

9pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Mootahady, Antonio Fresu, Eric Lemartinel

9.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh70,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Dubai Canal, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar

10pm: Al Ain Cup – Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Harrab, Bernardo Pinheiro, Majed Al Jahouri

Dubai World Cup Carnival card

6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 Group 1 (PA) US$75,000 (Dirt) 1,900m

7.05pm: Al Rashidiya Group 2 (TB) $250,000 (Turf) 1,800m

7.40pm: Meydan Cup Listed Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,810m

8.15pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (D) 1,600m

8.50pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,600m

9.25pm: Al Shindagha Sprint Group 3 (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,200m

10pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 2,000m

The National selections:

6.30pm - Ziyadd; 7.05pm - Barney Roy; 7.40pm - Dee Ex Bee; 8.15pm - Dubai Legacy; 8.50pm - Good Fortune; 9.25pm - Drafted; 10pm - Simsir

Fixtures:

Wed Aug 29 – Malaysia v Hong Kong, Nepal v Oman, UAE v Singapore
Thu Aug 30 - UAE v Nepal, Hong Kong v Singapore, Malaysia v Oman
Sat Sep 1 - UAE v Hong Kong, Oman v Singapore, Malaysia v Nepal
Sun Sep 2 – Hong Kong v Oman, Malaysia v UAE, Nepal v Singapore
Tue Sep 4 - Malaysia v Singapore, UAE v Oman, Nepal v Hong Kong
Thu Sep 6 – Final

Updated: April 25, 2023, 10:30 AM