In 2016, then-prime minister of UK David Cameron tendered his resignation following his failed Brexit gamble. Now, Prime Minister&nbsp;Rishi Sunak has paved the way for his re-entry into politics as the country’s foreign secretary. And along with him came the baggage of his extremely close links to China.

Cameron has been accused of using his ties with China to shore up his bank balance, while sometimes going as far as putting the UK’s own geopolitical and economic security at risk.

<h2>Cameron’s links to China</h2>

According to a report by The Times, Cameron has been the&nbsp;focus of several ‘study tours’ organised by China, offering VIP access, opportunity to have dinner and “close-up exchange” to Chinese students, investors and officials.&nbsp;

At a gathering in Beijing, Cameron once charged as much as £12,000 for a photo opportunity and dinner.

On several occasions, he has been seen heaping praises on China’s highly controversial Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Regarding China’s role in Port City Colombo, Cameron once falsely claimed that the project was wholly owned and controlled by Sri Lanka.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-what-is-greensill-lobbying-scandal-which-overshadows-david-camerons-political-career-659572">Also read:&nbsp;Explained: What is Greensill lobbying scandal which overshadows David Cameron`s political career?</a>

Financial records reveal, however, that the site’s development company is 100 per cent controlled by a Chinese state-owned entity.

<h2>Cameron’s bid for Chinese money</h2>

Two years after leaving the PM office in 2016, Cameron is accused of having travelled to China to seek funds for the so-called £1 billion China-UK fund.&nbsp;

UK Parliament’s intelligence and security committee on one occasion raised doubts whether Cameron’s role as the fund’s vice-chairman was supported by China.

Watch:&nbsp;As David Cameron returns to politics his China ties under scrutiny

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The same year, in 2018, he also threw his support behind BRI quite unequivocally during a China trip. Cameron is also accused of sleepwalking into China’s ‘terrorism’ theory for Xinjiang that it cites to justify its human rights abuses against Uighurs.&nbsp;

Cameron was reported to have opposed trade protectionism and referred to combating “terrorism,” during the China trip.

<h2>Cameron’s shady behaviour</h2>

Charlie Parton, a former diplomat who spent 22 years working in China, said Cameron appeared to have a “complete lack of awareness of what the Chinese were up to” and his activities might not have been in the UK’s interests.

Parton is now calling for an expansive scrutiny into Cameron’s affairs so that he can be held accountable on his China dealings, especially when he is now the foreign secretary.

Cameron would now have to declare his all financial interests by December 20. He has already announced to resign&nbsp;from all business roles before assuming the secretary role but has stopped short of revealing what roles he was playing.

(With inputs from agencies)

In 2016, then-prime minister of UK David Cameron tendered his resignation following his failed Brexit gamble. Now, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has paved the way for his re-entry into politics as the country’s foreign secretary.

In 2016, then-prime minister of UK David Cameron tendered his resignation following his failed Brexit gamble. Now, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has paved the way for his re-entry into politics as the country’s foreign secretary. And along with him came the baggage of his extremely close links to China. Cameron has been accused of using his ties with China to shore up his bank balance, while sometimes going as far as putting the UK’s own geopolitical and economic security at risk. Cameron’s links to China According to a report by The Times, Cameron has been the focus of several ‘study tours’ organised by China, offering VIP access, opportunity to have dinner and “close-up exchange” to Chinese students, investors and officials. At a gathering in Beijing, Cameron once charged as much as £12,000 for a photo opportunity and dinner. On several occasions, he has been seen heaping praises on China’s highly controversial Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Regarding China’s role in Port City Colombo, Cameron once falsely claimed that the project was wholly owned and controlled by Sri Lanka. Also read: Explained: What is Greensill lobbying scandal which overshadows David Cameron`s political career? Financial records reveal, however, that the site’s development company is 100 per cent controlled by a Chinese state-owned entity. Cameron’s bid for Chinese money Two years after leaving the PM office in 2016, Cameron is accused of having travelled to China to seek funds for the so-called £1 billion China-UK fund. UK Parliament’s intelligence and security committee on one occasion raised doubts whether Cameron’s role as the fund’s vice-chairman was supported by China. Watch: As David Cameron returns to politics his China ties under scrutiny × The same year, in 2018, he also threw his support behind BRI quite unequivocally during a China trip. Cameron is also accused of sleepwalking into China’s ‘terrorism’ theory for Xinjiang that it cites to justify its human rights abuses against Uighurs. Cameron was reported to have opposed trade protectionism and referred to combating “terrorism,” during the China trip. Cameron’s shady behaviour Charlie Parton, a former diplomat who spent 22 years working in China, said Cameron appeared to have a “complete lack of awareness of what the Chinese were up to” and his activities might not have been in the UK’s interests. Parton is now calling for an expansive scrutiny into Cameron’s affairs so that he can be held accountable on his China dealings, especially when he is now the foreign secretary. Cameron would now have to declare his all financial interests by December 20. He has already announced to resign from all business roles before assuming the secretary role but has stopped short of revealing what roles he was playing. (With inputs from agencies)

David Cameron’s shady links with China in spotlight after appointment as UK’s foreign secretary

The appointment of former British prime minister David Cameron as the foreign secretary has not only shocked the political experts, but also raised concerns over his supposedly friendly relations with China—which is at odds with the present Rishi Sunak dispensation.

Cameron is widely regarded for heralding&nbsp;the “golden era” in relations with China when he was the prime minister in 2015.

A photo of Cameron and Chinese President Xi Jinping enjoying pints of beer became the symbol of his government’s attempts to court Beijing.

That visit to London by Xi was hailed on both sides as the start of a “golden era” of relations, with the UK government at that time hoping to make China Britain’s second-biggest trading partner within a decade.

<h2>Cameron involved in various China-related activities&nbsp;</h2>

Despite stepping down in 2016 after losing the Brexit referendum, Cameron has been involved in various China-related initiatives.

According to a report by Politico, Cameron has been working to set up a $1 billion UK-China investment fund aimed at supporting Xi’s flagship Belt and Road Initiative.

He also reportedly lobbied for foreign investment for the Colombo Port City project in Sri Lanka, which is backed by China.

Cut to 2023, the China-UK relations have undergone ebbs and flows.

From suppression of civil liberties in the former British territory of Hong Kong to allegations of human rights abuses in Xinjiang province, to China emerging as a security threat, the Rishi Sunak government has often found itself at odds with Xi over such issues.

<h2>Unease among Tories over Cameron's appointment&nbsp;</h2>

UK’s distrust of China was publicly expressed by Sunak in a speech last year when he said Beijing poses a “systemic challenge to our values and interests.”

Some of the Tory members feel that Cameron’s soft position towards China may cause embarrassment to Rishi Sunak’s government.

“David Cameron will find Parliament has changed a lot when it comes to China,” Alicia Kearns, Tory chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said in an interview, reports Bloomberg.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-five-things-to-know-about-uk-ex-pm-now-foreign-secretary-david-cameron-658196">Explained | Five things to know about UK ex-PM, now foreign secretary David Cameron</a>

“Relations with China are our foremost challenge and he is going to have quite a challenge getting foreign policy into the place where it needs to be going forward.”

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/former-uk-pm-david-cameron-appointed-as-foreign-secretary-658064">Former UK PM David Cameron appointed as foreign secretary in shock move</a>

Luke John de Pulford, the convenor of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, a pressure group, especially criticised Cameron’s appointment.

“Incomprehensible, retrograde appointment. Cameron is out of step with Parliament and the country on China,” he said on X.

“Look forward to David Cameron declaring exactly how much he has been paid to represent Beijing’s interests since leaving Number 10,” he added.

(With inputs from agencies)

The appointment of former British prime minister David Cameron as the foreign secretary has not only shocked the political experts, but also raised concerns over his supposedly friendly relations with China—which is at odds with the present Rishi Sunak dispensation.

The appointment of former British prime minister David Cameron as the foreign secretary has not only shocked the political experts, but also raised concerns over his supposedly friendly relations with China—which is at odds with the present Rishi Sunak dispensation. Cameron is widely regarded for heralding the “golden era” in relations with China when he was the prime minister in 2015. A photo of Cameron and Chinese President Xi Jinping enjoying pints of beer became the symbol of his government’s attempts to court Beijing. That visit to London by Xi was hailed on both sides as the start of a “golden era” of relations, with the UK government at that time hoping to make China Britain’s second-biggest trading partner within a decade. Cameron involved in various China-related activities Despite stepping down in 2016 after losing the Brexit referendum, Cameron has been involved in various China-related initiatives. According to a report by Politico, Cameron has been working to set up a $1 billion UK-China investment fund aimed at supporting Xi’s flagship Belt and Road Initiative. He also reportedly lobbied for foreign investment for the Colombo Port City project in Sri Lanka, which is backed by China. Cut to 2023, the China-UK relations have undergone ebbs and flows. From suppression of civil liberties in the former British territory of Hong Kong to allegations of human rights abuses in Xinjiang province, to China emerging as a security threat, the Rishi Sunak government has often found itself at odds with Xi over such issues. Unease among Tories over Cameron's appointment UK’s distrust of China was publicly expressed by Sunak in a speech last year when he said Beijing poses a “systemic challenge to our values and interests.” Some of the Tory members feel that Cameron’s soft position towards China may cause embarrassment to Rishi Sunak’s government. “David Cameron will find Parliament has changed a lot when it comes to China,” Alicia Kearns, Tory chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said in an interview, reports Bloomberg. Also read | Explained | Five things to know about UK ex-PM, now foreign secretary David Cameron “Relations with China are our foremost challenge and he is going to have quite a challenge getting foreign policy into the place where it needs to be going forward.” Also read | Former UK PM David Cameron appointed as foreign secretary in shock move Luke John de Pulford, the convenor of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, a pressure group, especially criticised Cameron’s appointment. “Incomprehensible, retrograde appointment. Cameron is out of step with Parliament and the country on China,” he said on X. “Look forward to David Cameron declaring exactly how much he has been paid to represent Beijing’s interests since leaving Number 10,” he added. (With inputs from agencies)

Is David Cameron a 'China agent'? Past connections haunt new UK foreign secretary

The move could see China General Nuclear (CGN) excluded from several projects, including a consortium planning to build a nuclear plant on the Suffolk coast in eastern England.

UK mulls banning CGN from projects in UK

The UK government must toughen measures to tackle modern slavery to ensure Uighur forced labour is not used in their supply chains, a panel of British lawmakers has said.

The Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee on Tuesday said some British firms could be complicit in the use of forced labour in China's Xinjiang region, and that there was a lack of transparency in firms' supply chains and failures in government.

Xinjiang is home to many Chinese ethnic minorities, including Uighur Muslims.

The MPs said firms in fashion, retail, media and technology could all be implicated, and it was time to fine and blacklist those that failed to change.

The BEIS committee said it was appalled that companies still cannot guarantee that their supply chains are free from forced labour. Those that cannot prove they don't have links with Xingjian should face sanctions, it said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-labour-schemes-are-aimed-at-cutting-uighur-population-density-report-says-367729">Also read |&nbsp;Chinese labour schemes are aimed at cutting Uighur population density, report says</a>

The hard-hitting report says that government policy and modern slavery legislation is “not fit for purpose in tackling this serious situation” and government has been slow to make changes. The report recommends the government accelerates proposals to amend and strengthen the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

“The Modern Slavery Act is out of date, has no teeth, and we do not accept that businesses should be excused from doing basic due diligence to guarantee that their supply chains are fully transparent and free from forced labour and slavery,” the report said.

MPs conclusively recommend the government assess options for targeted sanctions against Chinese and international businesses implicated in human rights abuses. The report also calls for the introduction of fines for those who do not comply with modern slavery reporting rules to try to reduce risks in their supply chains.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/crime-against-humanity-and-genocide-us-condemns-china-for-abuse-of-uighurs-tibetans-370024">Also read |&nbsp;'Crime against humanity and genocide': US condemns China for abuse of Uighurs, Tibetans</a>

"The government should create a 'white list' of companies which had shown evidenced actions to ensure their suppliers were not using slave labour in Xinjiang and a black list of those who could not provide such evidence or provide information about their sourcing. It said both lists should be updated every six months," the report added.

(with inputs from reports)

The UK government must toughen measures to tackle modern slavery to ensure Uighur forced labour is not used in their supply chains, a panel of British lawmakers has said.

The UK government must toughen measures to tackle modern slavery to ensure Uighur forced labour is not used in their supply chains, a panel of British lawmakers has said. The Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee on Tuesday said some British firms could be complicit in the use of forced labour in China's Xinjiang region, and that there was a lack of transparency in firms' supply chains and failures in government. Xinjiang is home to many Chinese ethnic minorities, including Uighur Muslims. The MPs said firms in fashion, retail, media and technology could all be implicated, and it was time to fine and blacklist those that failed to change. The BEIS committee said it was appalled that companies still cannot guarantee that their supply chains are free from forced labour. Those that cannot prove they don't have links with Xingjian should face sanctions, it said. Also read | Chinese labour schemes are aimed at cutting Uighur population density, report says The hard-hitting report says that government policy and modern slavery legislation is “not fit for purpose in tackling this serious situation” and government has been slow to make changes. The report recommends the government accelerates proposals to amend and strengthen the Modern Slavery Act 2015. “The Modern Slavery Act is out of date, has no teeth, and we do not accept that businesses should be excused from doing basic due diligence to guarantee that their supply chains are fully transparent and free from forced labour and slavery,” the report said. MPs conclusively recommend the government assess options for targeted sanctions against Chinese and international businesses implicated in human rights abuses. The report also calls for the introduction of fines for those who do not comply with modern slavery reporting rules to try to reduce risks in their supply chains. Also read | 'Crime against humanity and genocide': US condemns China for abuse of Uighurs, Tibetans "The government should create a 'white list' of companies which had shown evidenced actions to ensure their suppliers were not using slave labour in Xinjiang and a black list of those who could not provide such evidence or provide information about their sourcing. It said both lists should be updated every six months," the report added. (with inputs from reports)

UK should crack down on firms using forced labour in China's Xinjiang, MPs say

The UK has expelled three Chinese spies working in the country, while posing as journalists over the past year.

The three were understood to be intelligence officers for Beijing's Ministry of State Security, the Daily Telegraph said Thursday, citing sources.

All three had claimed "to work for three different Chinese media agencies," the source said, adding they had all arrived in the country over the past 12 months.

"Their true identities were uncovered by MI5 and they have since been forced to return to China," it said, referring to Britain's domestic intelligence agency.

UK-China relations have become increasingly strained as Britain has criticised Beijing over its crackdown in Hong Kong and Xinjiang, and barred Huawei from its domestic 5G networks over security concerns.

On Thursday, British regulators revoked the licence of Chinese news network CGTN after finding its state-backed ownership structure broke UK law.

In the United States, it is one of seven Chinese media outlets that have been designated as state-sponsored actors rather than as independent media.

The UK has expelled three Chinese spies working in the country, while posing as journalists over the past year. The three were understood to be intelligence officers for Beijing's Ministry of State Security, the Daily Telegraph said Thursday, citing sources.

The UK has expelled three Chinese spies working in the country, while posing as journalists over the past year. The three were understood to be intelligence officers for Beijing's Ministry of State Security, the Daily Telegraph said Thursday, citing sources. All three had claimed "to work for three different Chinese media agencies," the source said, adding they had all arrived in the country over the past 12 months. "Their true identities were uncovered by MI5 and they have since been forced to return to China," it said, referring to Britain's domestic intelligence agency. UK-China relations have become increasingly strained as Britain has criticised Beijing over its crackdown in Hong Kong and Xinjiang, and barred Huawei from its domestic 5G networks over security concerns. On Thursday, British regulators revoked the licence of Chinese news network CGTN after finding its state-backed ownership structure broke UK law. In the United States, it is one of seven Chinese media outlets that have been designated as state-sponsored actors rather than as independent media.

UK dismisses Chinese spies posing as journalists

Britain called on China to uphold rights and freedoms guaranteed in the Sino-British Joint Declaration on Hong Kong, and maintain the independence of the former British colony's judiciary.

Global outcry over China's UNHRC candidacy, row over mistreatment of Uighurs

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