Is David Cameron a 'China agent'? Past connections haunt new UK 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 heraldingthe “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.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

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.

“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.”

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)