China’s media spokesperson laid into the UK during an interview with Andrew Marr this week, slamming any suggestions the two countries could be rivals.
Victor Gao, the former translator to the late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping and vice president of the Centre for China and globalisation, is widely perceived as the spokesperson for the Chinese Communist Party.
Following the weekend’s reports around a suspected Chinese spy working in the UK parliament, Gao was invited onto LBC’s Tonight With Andrew Marr to discuss China’s influence in Britain on Monday.
The radio host asked China’s spokesperson: “How would you regard your relationship with Britain?”
Gao replied: “First of all, between China and Britain, from the Chinese perspective, Britain is not a rival, it is not competitor, it is not an enemy, it is not an adversary.
“Britain is just an important country to get along with in peace and in friendship, and for mutual benefit.”
He said that Britain’s perspective of China was up to the UK government, but “I think it would be completely misguided for Britain to view China as an enemy or adversary, or competitor.”
He then proceeded to demolish the UK’s trading prowess by asking: “What do China and Britain compete with?
“China is the largest manufacturer of automobiles, competing with Britain? No.
“China is the largest exporter of EV [electrical vehicle] cars, and will lead the whole world in EV production. Is Britain a competitor? No.
″China will be the biggest and most important producer and R&D in terms of semi-conductor in no time. Does that mean China competes with Britain? No.
“China will be the leading nation in AI revolution. Is Britain a competitor? No.
″So I think British government should not overestimate its impact on the global scene and view China as a rival.
“China is a fact, China is a mega-trend, for Britain to live with and get along with. Let’s make peace, rather than agitate for war.”
Gao also said people cannot “fight” the fact that China is the largest trading partner in the world.
The interview followed calls for the UK to distance itself from Beijing following the parliamentary spy allegations.
However, Downing Street has refused to do so, choosing to only refer to the country as a “challenge” rather than a threat – and insisting China will still be able to attend the UK’s AI summit in November.