UK’s ‘golden era’ with China ‘sent wrong message’, says Liz Truss
Liz Truss will call on world leaders to stand up to China in her first speech since resigning as prime minister.
Speaking at the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China Symposium in Tokyo on Friday, the Conservative MP and former foreign secretary will “reject [the] fatalism” of those who think “the rise of a totalitarian China is inevitable”.
She will say: “The free world has a significant role to play in whether or not that happens – and how it happens.”
Ms Truss will also criticise the UK government’s former approach to Beijing under David Cameron and George Osborne – the so-called “golden era” of increased economic ties – saying it “sent the wrong message”.
Her appearance comes amid growing pressure on Rishi Sunak from his own party to take a tougher stance on China.
Mr Sunak said in November that the “golden era” was over, but described the nation as a “systemic challenge” rather than a threat to the upset of his MPs
Speaking earlier this month, one of Ms Truss’ allies said she would be “hawkish” in the speech, and address her successor’s choice of words.
Mr Sunak also faced criticism from another former Tory leader earlier this week, Sir Iain Duncan Smith, over reports officials were set to meet Erkin Tuniyaz, the governor of Xinjiang province who has been accused of genocide of Uyghur Muslims.
The meeting is now understood to have been cancelled.
‘We must learn from the past’
Ms Truss’ speech also comes amid increasing international tensions with China over trade, human rights and Taiwan.
On the latter, she will urge countries to “strengthen ties” with Taiwan, calling it “a beacon of freedom in a world where civil liberties and human rights are often suppressed”.
She will add: “We must learn from the past. We must ensure that Taiwan is able to defend itself. And we must work together across the free world to do this.
“It’s so important to do all we can to support Taiwan – because prevention is better than cure. If we build up the defence links now, if we build up the economic links now – that will help protect Taiwan and protect freedom.”
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Ms Truss resigned as the UK’s prime minister last October after the fall-out from her so-called mini-Budget, with a raft of unfunded tax cuts spooking the markets and sending them into turmoil.
Despite the nature of her exit, she is expected to reference “turbulent economic times” and “severe shocks” across democratic countries during her speech.
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Her first public appearance after that came earlier this month with a 4,000-word article in the Telegraph.
She claimed that while she wasn’t “blameless”, she was never given a “realistic chance” to implement her radical tax-cutting agenda and blamed what she called a “powerful economic establishment” for removing her from Downing Street.
In an interview with the Spectator a day later, she said she did not regret her time as PM but ruled out another run at the job.
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South Korea’s parliament has voted to impeach acting President Han Duck-soo.
The move could deepen a constitutional crisis triggered by a short-lived period of martial law declared by Mr Han’s predecessor, Yoon Suk Yeol.
After the vote on Friday, Mr Han said he will step aside to avoid more chaos.
The opposition brought impeachment proceedings against him over his refusal to immediately fill three places on South Korea’s Constitutional Court – where the former president is on trial.
Three justices had been approved by parliament – where the opposition Democratic Party has a majority – but Mr Han said he would not formally appoint them without bipartisan agreement.
South Korea’s constitution says that six justices on the nine-member Constitutional Court must agree to remove an impeached president, meaning the current justices must vote unanimously to remove Mr Yoon.
The court has said it can deliberate without the full nine-member bench.
Leader of the opposition Lee Jae-myung had vowed to go ahead with the impeachment, accusing Mr Han of “acting for insurrection”.
A man waves a South Korean flag at an anti-Yoon Suk Yeol protest. Pic: AP
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Now that Mr Han – who is also prime minister – has been impeached, his finance minister Choi Sang-mok is set to take over as acting president.
Politicians in the 300 parliament voted 192-0 to impeach him. Governing party politicians boycotted the vote.
Following the vote, Mr Han said he would respect the decision and will await a ruling from the Constitutional Court on the impeachment motion.
Mr Han will be stripped of the powers and duties of the president until the Constitutional Court decides whether to dismiss or reinstate him – the same as with Mr Yoon.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he would be open to peace talks with Ukraine in Slovakia “if it comes to that”.
Mr Putin said Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico, who this week visited the Kremlin, had offered his country as a location for negotiations as the war in Ukraine nears the three-year mark.
The Russian president said the Slovakian authorities “would be happy to provide their own country as a platform for negotiations”.
“We are not opposed, if it comes to that. Why not? Since Slovakia takes such a neutral position,” Mr Putin said, adding he was resolved to end the conflict in Ukraine, which started with a land, air and sea invasion of Russia’s smaller neighbour in February 2022.
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Ukraine is yet to comment on Slovakia’s offer but President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly criticised the country, which borders Ukraine, for the friendly tone Mr Fico has struck towards Russia since his return to power after an election in 2023.
Mr Fico has been critical of EU support for Ukraine, where millions have been displaced since Mr Putin’s decision to launch a “special military operation” to “denazify” and “demilitarise” the 37 million-strong country.
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Mr Putin has repeatedly said Russia is open to talks to end the conflict with Kyiv, but that it would nevertheless achieve its goals in Ukraine.
He has previously demanded Ukraine withdraw its bid to join NATO and asked it to recognise Russia’s gains. Both Kyiv and the West have rejected those demands.
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But while Mr Zelenskyy had for most of the conflict insisted Ukraine would keep fighting until it regained control of its territories, his position on negotiations now appears to have shifted.
In an interview with Sky News, Mr Zelenskyy suggested a ceasefire deal could be struck if the Ukrainian territory he controls could be taken “under the NATO umbrella”.
This would then allow him to negotiate the return of the rest later “in a diplomatic way”.
The Ukrainian leader admitted last week his forces would be unable to recapture any territories occupied by Russia in the east of Ukraine and the Crimean peninsula.
While Kyiv would never recognise Russia’s rule, he said diplomacy is the only option to get Mr Putin to withdraw his army.
The war in Ukraine has taken a devastating toll on Russia too. UK government and military analysis estimates that Russia has lost around half a million troops killed or wounded in Ukraine.
Such is the pressure on manpower that The Kremlin turned to one of its remaining allies, North Korea, to provide additional forces.
It’s thought 10,000 to 12,000 troops were sent in October to fight alongside the Russian military in the fighting in the Kursk region.
However it’s suggested their lack of combat experience has resulted in heavy losses, with Mr Zelenskyy saying earlier this week that 3,000 North Korean troops have already been killed and wounded.
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