LONDON, Dec 22: Priti Patel, the shadow foreign secretary of Britain, emphasized on Sunday that China should be prioritized as a significant national security threat to the UK.
The 52-year-old Indian-origin member of the Opposition Conservative Party, led by Kemi Badenoch, pointed out the troubling incident involving a purported Chinese spy infiltrating Buckingham Palace through Prince Andrew, King Charles III’s younger brother.
She criticized Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Cabinet for placing trade interests with China above national security concerns.
“The legislation is undeniably intricate, yet China should always be at the forefront,” Patel remarked in an interview with ‘The Sunday Times’ when asked about including China in a proposed Foreign Influence Registration Scheme. This list aims to compel individuals representing foreign powers to disclose their lobbying efforts to mitigate security threats.
“We’re confronting a remarkable regime that has, over the past decade, engaged in various incursions into our nation, affecting our national security, intellectual property, and even cyber activities and misinformation. The COVID era saw significant misinformation and disinformation activity, along with espionage,” she stated.
The former home secretary conveyed her skepticism regarding the Chinese video-sharing platform TikTok and indicated her interest in potentially supporting a ban on it in Britain, similar to actions taken by the US.
Additionally, Patel voiced her apprehension about China’s plan to establish a “super embassy” at a site purchased near the Tower of London in 2018. Although the Tower Hamlets Council rejected the proposal in 2022 due to concerns from police and local residents, it has now been escalated for review by UK Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner.
“It horrifies me that Angela Rayner is responsible for this decision. The nation should be equally concerned,” Patel told ‘The Sunday Times’.
“I’m exceedingly worried about Labour’s approach to China for numerous reasons, including the situation in Hong Kong. Remember, Starmer met President Xi Jinping just hours prior to the arrest of 45 pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong,” she added, referencing Starmer’s meeting during the G20 Summit in Brazil last month.
The pro-Brexit shadow minister further expressed her concerns regarding the Labour government’s inclination towards closer relations with the European Union (EU). As one of the early contenders to succeed Rishi Sunak following the party’s disappointing performance in the last general election, Patel stated that she feels “more motivated than ever” to contribute to revitalizing her party’s electoral prospects and supporting Badenoch on the path to power in the upcoming five years. (PTI)
Leave a Reply