Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of continuing to send Foreign Aid to China.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In April 2021, the FCDO committed to cut Official Development Assistance (ODA) funded programmes in China by 95 per cent from the 2021-22 financial year. Since then, all new ODA programming in China supports activities that further our human rights objectives, for example on LGBTQ+ or disability rights. In addition to programme spend, FCDO ODA to China includes other types of spend counted as ODA, such as Chevening scholarships. The FCDO also spends non-ODA funding furthering our China human rights objectives, including research into Xinjiang and Tibet. The UK stopped direct aid to the Chinese Government in 2011.
Mar. 14 2012
Source Page: Table showing scheduled air transport movements (arrivals and departures) on routes between airports in Scotland and London and (a) Brazil, (b) China (including Hong Kong), (c) India, (d) Japan, (e) Russia, (f) Singapore for the years 1990 to 2011. 6 p.Found: movements (arrivals and departures) on routes between airports in Scotland and London and (a) Brazil, (b) China
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of the People's Republic of China, including in discussions between the Foreign Secretary and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Munich Security Conference, regarding the case of British citizen Jimmy Lai.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
On 16 February, the Foreign Secretary met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Munich Security Conference. In line with the Government's "protect, align, and engage" approach to China, as set out in the Integrated Review Refresh, the Foreign Secretary raised a number of issues important to the UK national interest. The Foreign Secretary reiterated his call for the release of British national Jimmy Lai and unambiguously set out the UK's position across a number of areas of disagreement, including on Hong Kong. On 17 December, the Foreign Secretary called on the Chinese authorities to repeal the National Security Law and end the prosecution of all individuals charged under it. We have been clear that we will not tolerate any attempts to intimidate, harass or harm individuals or communities in the UK.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Whitchurch (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether national security clearance was sought by the Science and Technology Facilities Council, and approved, before purchasing the Lenovo supercomputer from a Chinese electronics company.
Answered by Viscount Camrose - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The government has been clear that when tensions arise between its objectives in relation to China, national security will always come first. This procurement took place through a robust public sector procurement process with all necessary qualifying security criteria
The UK's world leading cyber security experts are providing the necessary support and advice to assure the security of the system, as is normal.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of the People's Republic of China, including in discussions between the Foreign Secretary and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Munich Security Conference, to call for an end to transnational repression of Hong Kong people living in the United Kingdom, and the removal of bounties for their arrest.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
On 16 February, the Foreign Secretary met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Munich Security Conference. In line with the Government's "protect, align, and engage" approach to China, as set out in the Integrated Review Refresh, the Foreign Secretary raised a number of issues important to the UK national interest. The Foreign Secretary reiterated his call for the release of British national Jimmy Lai and unambiguously set out the UK's position across a number of areas of disagreement, including on Hong Kong. On 17 December, the Foreign Secretary called on the Chinese authorities to repeal the National Security Law and end the prosecution of all individuals charged under it. We have been clear that we will not tolerate any attempts to intimidate, harass or harm individuals or communities in the UK.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of the People's Republic of China, including in discussions between the Foreign Secretary and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Munich Security Conference, to call for the repeal of the Hong Kong national security law and the release of all political prisoners in Hong Kong.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
On 16 February, the Foreign Secretary met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Munich Security Conference. In line with the Government's "protect, align, and engage" approach to China, as set out in the Integrated Review Refresh, the Foreign Secretary raised a number of issues important to the UK national interest. The Foreign Secretary reiterated his call for the release of British national Jimmy Lai and unambiguously set out the UK's position across a number of areas of disagreement, including on Hong Kong. On 17 December, the Foreign Secretary called on the Chinese authorities to repeal the National Security Law and end the prosecution of all individuals charged under it. We have been clear that we will not tolerate any attempts to intimidate, harass or harm individuals or communities in the UK.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Melton)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether UK Research and Innovation have (a) staff and (b) offices in China.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
UK Research Innovation (UKRI) has one overseas office in China with seven staff, co-located in the British Embassy Beijing.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the tactics deployed by Chinese vessels against the Philippines on 9 and 10 December in the South China Sea.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK condemns the unsafe and escalatory tactics taken by Chinese vessels against the Philippines on 9 and 10 December in the South China Sea. The UK opposes any action which raises tensions, including harassment, unsafe conduct and intimidation tactics which increase the risk of miscalculation and threaten regional peace and stability. The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) sets out the legal framework that governs all activities in the ocean and seas. We oppose any claims that are not founded in UNCLOS. Both China and the Philippines must adhere to the findings of the 2016 Arbitral Award proceedings, which are legally binding on both parties. This position is reflected in an FCDO Spokesperson statement of 11 December, which was issued in response to the latest incidents. The UK will continue to support regional partners through an enhanced programme of maritime capacity building in Southeast Asia which provides training and funding to strengthen regional capacity on maritime law and security.
Mentions:
1: Lord West of Spithead (Lab - Life peer) what assessment they have made of the report by the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament China - Speech Link
2: Lord Alderdice (LD - Life peer) our country and our people from the political, economic and military threats in our relationship with China - Speech Link
3: Baroness Goldie (Con - Life peer) In relation to China, the integrated review and the integrated review refresh represented a comprehensive - Speech Link
4: Baroness Goldie (Con - Life peer) to have regard to what we are doing in this country to augment the infrastructure for engaging with China - Speech Link
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether her Department has taken steps in response to the findings in the Human Rights Watch report entitled Asleep at the Wheel: Car Companies' Complicity in Forced Labor in China, published on 1 February 2024.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
Modern slavery is a barbaric crime which we are determined to stamp out. In 2022, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights published its assessment of the human rights situation in Xinjiang, which found that China had carried out “serious human rights violations” against Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim minorities.
The Government’s overseas business risk guidance sets out the risks of operating in Xinjiang and urges UK companies to conduct appropriate due diligence and consider their corporate responsibilities when making business decisions. The Department for Business and Trade is continuing to consider actor agnostic measures that would improve supply chain transparency and traceability. I have requested meetings with named manufacturers in the Human Rights Watch (HRW) report to discuss this issue in more detail.