Sinister spy hysteria risks poisoning UK-China relations

The decision by Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to drop charges brought under the Official Secrets Act 1911 against Christopher Cash and Christopher Berry, far from drawing a line under the matter, has seen the country become engulfed in a wave of spy hysteria and mania redolent of the worst features of the US McCarthyite … Continue reading Sinister spy hysteria risks poisoning UK-China relations

China, Russia, Pakistan and Iran reject US return to Afghanistan

On September 25, 2025, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov chaired the fourth Informal Meeting on Afghanistan Between Foreign Ministers of China, Russia, Pakistan and Iran on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. China was represented by Special Envoy on Afghan Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign … Continue reading China, Russia, Pakistan and Iran reject US return to Afghanistan

George Galloway prevented from speaking at FoSC China Conference by airport detention

Friends of Socialist China successfully held its second annual China Conference on Saturday September 27. More than 100 people gathered in London’s Bolivar Hall to hear expert presentations from a broad range of progressive scholars and activists on such topics as 80 years since the defeat of fascism: China as a force for peace and … Continue reading George Galloway prevented from speaking at FoSC China Conference by airport detention

Boris Johnson plays the fool in Taiwan with provocative remarks against China and Palestine

Serial buffoon and former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently visited China’s island province of Taiwan, where, participating in the Ketagalan Forum, a security confab, he made a series of absurd and provocative remarks, not only encouraging the separatist forces seeking to divide China but even going so far as to claim that Taiwan has … Continue reading Boris Johnson plays the fool in Taiwan with provocative remarks against China and Palestine

Bob Vylan at Glastonbury – A lawyer’s view from Hong Kong

We are pleased to republish the following article, which originally appeared in China Daily, in which Grenville Cross recaps the furore which ensued at the Glastonbury music festival in England after punk rock duo Bob Vylan gave expression to the sentiments shared by the overwhelming majority of the many thousands of people present, who stood … Continue reading Bob Vylan at Glastonbury – A lawyer’s view from Hong Kong

British Defence Secretary threatens war with China

Britain’s  Defence Minister, the largely and justifiably unknown John Healey, has made an extraordinary threat to go to war with China over the question of Taiwan, an island province that Britain legally recognises – not least according to the bilateral agreement concluded in 1972 between the two countries that elevated their diplomatic relations to ambassadorial … Continue reading British Defence Secretary threatens war with China

A nuclear free world is the answer to the war drive against China – Sophie Bolt

In the below article, which was originally published by China Daily on June 27, Sophie Bolt, the General Secretary of Britain’s Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), reports on the mood of the June 21-22 Hague summit, held to counter the 77th annual meeting of NATO, in which peace campaigners from over 17 countries participated. Sophie … Continue reading A nuclear free world is the answer to the war drive against China – Sophie Bolt

NATO backs the anti-China war drive – Diane Abbott

In the following article, which was originally published by the Morning Star, Diane Abbott sounds a warning that, “Europe is acquiescing in Trump’s manoeuvrings – where Europe takes over the US forever war in Ukraine while Washington gets ready for a future fight with China. And it’s working people who will be left paying the … Continue reading NATO backs the anti-China war drive – Diane Abbott

British government’s new China policy: Another case of one step forward two steps back?

The British government published a new National Security Strategy (NSS) on June 24. Before last year’s general election, the Labour Party said that it would carry out a comprehensive audit of the UK’s relationship with China within 100 days of taking office. With the publication of the NSS, a little over 350 days after taking … Continue reading British government’s new China policy: Another case of one step forward two steps back?

British government’s Strategic Defence Review hypes war threat against China

The British government published its new “defence” strategy on June 2. According to a summary carried by the South China Morning Post (SCMP), it “aims to put a ‘stronger, more lethal’ Nato at the forefront of British defence plans as the country boosts its nuclear deterrent, rebuilds munitions and weapons stockpiles and invests billions of … Continue reading British government’s Strategic Defence Review hypes war threat against China

Liu Jianchao strengthens ties with Cyprus communists; visits Britain and Norway

Liu Jianchao, Minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee (IDCPC), recently visited Cyprus, Britain and Norway. On June 6, he met with Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides. Christodoulides said that Cyprus-China relations have a solid foundation and will grow better and stronger no matter how the international situation changes. He … Continue reading Liu Jianchao strengthens ties with Cyprus communists; visits Britain and Norway

China establishes International Organisation for Mediation in Hong Kong

A major step in China’s multilateral diplomacy was taken on May 30, 2025, with the signing ceremony of the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organisation for Mediation (IOMed) in Hong Kong. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended the event and delivered a speech. Around 400 high-level representatives from 85 countries across Asia, Africa, … Continue reading China establishes International Organisation for Mediation in Hong Kong

Trump versus the rising Global South

We are pleased to republish the below article by Dr. Kate Hudson, Vice-President of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), which is the gist of her speech given at the ‘Socialism or Barbarism’ Arise Festival Day School, held in London on March 29. Setting out the need for solidarity with the Global South in the … Continue reading Trump versus the rising Global South

British Steel crisis leads to wave of anti-China propaganda

The following article by Paul Atkin, originally published in Socialist Economic Bulletin, analyses the response by British politicians and journalists to the announcement by Jingye – the Chinese company that acquired British Steel in 2019 – that it would be closing the blast furnaces at its Scunthorpe plant on account of making losses of £255 … Continue reading British Steel crisis leads to wave of anti-China propaganda

Could China’s rise be Britain’s opportunity?

We are pleased to reprint below the report by Morning Star editor Ben Chacko, carried in that newspaper, of the meeting ‘China in Springtime: Sharing Opportunities with the World’, organised by the China Media Group together with the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in the UK (CCCUK) and the China-Britain Business Council (CBBC), with the support … Continue reading Could China’s rise be Britain’s opportunity?

Trump’s threats against Chinese immigrants and the history of Chinese Exclusion in the US

Amidst the tsunami of proto-fascist measures unleashed by the Trump-Vance-Musk regime’s ‘carnival of reaction’, a central place is taken by the threats to deport millions of migrant workers and their families – a threat that has already become grim reality for thousands arrested, terrorised, humiliated, and flown, shackled and handcuffed, in military planes to their … Continue reading Trump’s threats against Chinese immigrants and the history of Chinese Exclusion in the US

Wang Yi: China, Britain need to strengthen dialogue, communication

In a further sign of the relative normalisation of relations between China and Britain, since last year’s UK general election, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited London on February 13. Meeting with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Wang said that China is willing to collaborate with Britain to consolidate the positive momentum towards stabilising and improving … Continue reading Wang Yi: China, Britain need to strengthen dialogue, communication

Reflections on Western and Chinese Approaches to Operate Local Government

The following article by Douglas Rooney, originally published on Li Jingjing’s China Up Close blog, contrasts Western and Chinese approaches to local governance through two key examples. In Britain, the author’s hometown faces the closure of its local Partnership Centre, a community hub, due to funding cuts. Despite the decision being framed as a local … Continue reading Reflections on Western and Chinese Approaches to Operate Local Government

Assessing recent high level encounters between Britain and China

In the following article, which was originally published by the Morning Star, Kenny Coyle assesses the significance of two recent high level encounters between Britain’s new Labour government and China, namely Foreign Secretary David Lammy’s China visit in October and Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s meeting with President Xi Jinping the next month, in the margins … Continue reading Assessing recent high level encounters between Britain and China