British Foreign Minister James Cleverly encouraged China to be more transparent about its intentions for the largest military build-up in peacetime history, warning that opacity could lead to a tragic miscalculation.

Britain-China relations are at an all-time low after London blocked Chinese investment on national security concerns and expressed alarm about Beijing’s growing military and economic assertiveness.

Cleverly said in a speech at Mansion House in London’s historic financial sector on Tuesday that Britain should engage China robustly and constructively despite his revulsion at the plight of Uyghurs in Xinjiang.

Cleverly warned that conquering Taiwan would destroy world trade, and that distance would offer no protection from the catastrophic blow to the global and Chinese economy.

Cleverly’s speech is the most direct attempt to explain Britain’s policy towards China under Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who said at the end of last year that the so-called ‘golden era’ of relations under former Prime Minister David Cameron had ended.

In contrast to French President Emmanuel Macron’s attempts to remove Europe from any involvement in a fight over Taiwan, Cleverly said, “No country could shield itself from the repercussion of a war in Taiwan”.

Cleverly stated that Britain is open to expanding cooperation with partners in the Indo-Pacific region and urged China to be transparent about its military objectives.

He further said, “I urge China to be equally open about the doctrine and intent behind its military expansion because transparency is surely in everyone’s interests, and secrecy can only increase the risk of tragic miscalculation”.

China claims Taiwan as its own and has not abandoned the use of force to achieve eventual unification. It has also stated that it will defend its territorial sovereignty as well as its marine rights and interests.

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