Last week, the Prime Minister gave a statement on the G20 summit that he attended in Indonesia, and I took the opportunity to ask him about our approach to China.
China poses significant challenges to our values, our interests and indeed our economic security. It is right that we take the necessary steps to defend ourselves against those challenges, but it is also right to engage in dialogue when that can make a difference in solving some of the pressing global challenges that we all collectively face.
The United Kingdom has led efforts to hold China to account, including by imposing sanctions on senior Chinese officials and mobilising international support to hold China to account at the United Nations.
This year we have seen, in Russia, how an authoritarian state can use their role in our supply chains to damage the global economy. We must be careful not to see the same happen again with China.
The UK will always be robust in defending our values and our interest, and that starts with our national and economic security.