UK Labour vows to strengthen Australia security alliance

UK shadow foreign secretary says Labour would deepen its security alliance with Australia, warning China’s direction is ‘worrying.’

UK shadow foreign secretary David Lammy.

Britain would deepen its security alliance with Australia under a Labour government, and forge a new security pact with Europe, the shadow foreign secretary David Lammy has said while warning that China’s direction is “worrying” and president Xi Jinping “lacks effective counsel”.

In a landmark speech detailing UK Labour’s foreign policy to the think tank Chatham House, Mr Lammy set out plans to use the Britain-Australia-United States AUKUS pact to strengthen a British defence arrangement in the Indo-Pacific region with Japan.

He said:“ We know the value in deepening our alliances beyond Europe too, be that with Australia through AUKUS or new defence co-operation with Japan. But it is in Europe – the first priority for our own security – where a Labour government would forge a new security approach.’’

On China, Mr Lammy said: I think it’s hard to describe a country that at the moment sends a third of our foreign students, as a threat, but there are systemic challenges”.

“We have a 93 billion pound trade arrangement with the Chinese which is hugely important and higher education is an important part of that economy,’’ he said.

“We want to continue to co-operate but we have to be clear about some of the challenges that are posed. And there are new frontiers, like quantum-like biotech by artificial intelligence”.

Mr Lammy warned that as the global community draws up rules around this technology, “it must be in our interests for this to be in the democratic tradition, not authoritarian”.

He also noted how China had punished Australia and Lithuania through withdrawal of trade, and that British businesses were having to plan and anticipate for all possibilities in case of any conflict over Taiwan.

“ What came out of the Congress (of the Communist Party), at the end of last year, was worrying in terms of President Xi and where he now sits in terms of his strength and power and the lack if you like, of effective counsel around him,’’ Mr Lammy said.

“That’s a worry for all of us. I think, what we have to plan is for all possibilities, keep the lines of communication open and hoping to co-operate. But the direction of travel is worrying.’’

When pressed about Labour’s policy on China during a question-and-answer session, Mr Lammy said it will be determined by China’s posturing towards Taiwan in the coming period and standing by its allies.

“What we’re seeing feels more aggressive,’’ Mr Lammy said, who said the UK would conduct an “audit’’ of its relationship with the country based on “challenge, compete and co-operate”.

“Clearly the world is learning also from what is happening with Russia and Ukraine and that is why we are facing fierce competition, following the debacle about 5G and Huawei, and now on semiconductors and indeed as we race towards green technologies, there will be issues where there will be increased competition.’’

He added: “In a sense we wait we see where the envelope lands in relation to what their intentions are over the coming months, but I don’t think it’s about unnecessarily fostering conflict.”

Mr Lammy also ruled out Labour attempting to reverse Brexit, saying: “We shouldn’t revisit the arguments that divided our nation” and that “we are not doing the hokey cokey with the EU”, instead calling for a “normalisation” of relations.

He emphasised: “We are not re entering the single market or the customs union’’.