By GB News (World News) | Created at 2024-11-19 12:26:43 | Updated at 2024-11-19 14:52:51
2 hours ago
Political commentator Piers Pottinger has accused Sir Keir Starmer of "kowtowing" to Chinese President Xi Jinping during their recent meeting in Brazil.
Speaking on GB News, Pottinger delivered a scathing critique of the Labour leader's approach to China.
"Not long ago, he was complaining about Xi and China and their terrible human rights abuses, the fact they're locking up British citizens in Hong Kong today," Pottinger said.
He added: "Yet there he is, and what has he got out of that meeting? President Xi is going back and laughing his pants off saying, 'that idiot from the UK is going to give us what he wants!'"
The meeting between Starmer and President Xi took place on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro.
At the start of their talks, Starmer emphasised the importance of a "strong UK-China relationship" for both nations.
Pottinger hit out at Starmer
GB NEWS
British journalists were removed by Chinese officials when Starmer brought up the case of Jimmy Lai, the British citizen and Hong Kong democracy activist currently detained.
The Labour leader expressed concern about Lai's deteriorating health in prison.
He also addressed sanctions imposed on several Conservative MPs, including former security minister Tom Tugendhat and former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith.
Looking ahead, Starmer proposed a full bilateral meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang in either Beijing or London.
Keir Starmer's meeting with Xi Jinping was discussed on GB News
GB NEWS
He also arranged for Chancellor Rachel Reeves to meet with Vice Premier He Lifeng in Beijing this January to explore investment projects.
The meeting signals a shift in UK-China relations, which had significantly cooled in recent years.
The last British prime minister to meet Xi was Theresa May in 2018, during what was then hailed as a "golden era" for bilateral relations.
Relations subsequently deteriorated over issues including Hong Kong and cyber threats.
Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had previously described China as "the biggest state-based threat to our economic security."
However, Labour's approach appears more pragmatic, with Foreign Secretary David Lammy visiting China last month.
Starmer and Reeves are pursuing improved relations, suggesting the UK cannot achieve its growth ambitions without better terms with China.
