Tory China hawks critical of Government’s perceived backtracking after announcement of first face-to-face meeting in almost five years
Rishi Sunak will become the first UK Prime Minister to hold face-to-face talks with Xi Jinping, the Chinese President, in almost five years on Wednesday, as he softens the Government’s stance towards Beijing.
The Prime Minister secured a late bilateral meeting with the Chinese leader during the G20 summit in Bali after personally pushing for the talks to take place.
Downing Street said that Mr Sunak believed engaging with Beijing was crucial for making progress on issues such as trade, climate change and the Ukraine war.
But he is also expected to bring up China’s human rights record, possibly challenging their treatment of Uyghur Muslims, as he seeks to establish a “clear-eyed” relationship.