• China poses a “systemic” risk to UK values and interests.
• Rishi Sunak said the so-called “golden era” of UK-China relations is over.
• The UK must change its approach to China since Beijing is actively competing for global influence.

Rishi Sunak said China poses a “systemic” risk to UK values and interests after a BBC journalist was thrashed in Shanghai.

Sunak said the so-called “golden era” of UK-China relations was “over, along with the naive idea that trade would automatically lead to social and political reform.”

In his speech at the Lord Mayor’s Banquet in London, he claimed the UK must “change its approach to China” since Beijing is “actively competing for global influence”

“Let’s be clear, the so-called ‘golden period’ is finished,” Sunak remarked, referring to former Finance Minister George Osborne’s 2015 depiction of Sino-British ties.

His government will prioritize developing trade and security ties with Indo-Pacific allies, he said.

Some in Sunak’s Conservative Party view him as less aggressive on China than Liz Truss.

He threatened to get tough on China if he won, calling the Asian superpower the “number one threat” to domestic and global security.

A scheduled meeting between Sunak and Chinese President Xi Jinping at last month’s G20 conference in Bali fell through, and London banned Chinese-made security cameras last week.

“We recognize China poses a systemic challenge to our values and interests,” he said, referring to a BBC report that a journalist was assaulted by Chinese police.

“We can’t overlook China’s role in world affairs, whether it’s economic stability or climate change. US, Canada, Australia, Japan, and others know this.”

The speech occurred after BBC journalist Ed Lawrence was detained at a COVID lockdown demonstration in Shanghai.

The British broadcaster says police beat and kicked him.

Lawrence tweeted Monday to thank his followers and said “at least one local national was arrested after trying to stop the police from hitting me.”

James Cleverly termed the situation “very distressing.”

“Respect media freedom and protest rights. He tweeted, “No country is exempt.”

“Journalists must be unintimidated.”

Hundreds of people protested in China’s major cities on Sunday over the state’s zero COVID goal.

China’s foreign ministry said Monday that Lawrence wasn’t a journalist.

“He didn’t identify himself as a journalist and didn’t voluntarily present his press credentials,” said Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian.

He told international media to “follow Chinese laws”

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