Cameron olive branch to China

David Cameron used his Queen’s speech debate turn to start tip-toeing back to better relations with China. Sir Malcolm Rifkind asked a question that was clearly expected about UK/China relations and the PM delivered an olive branch statement emphasising that he saw Tibet as rightfully part of China. He’s hoping that the Chinese see this gesture and its setting, speaking on the day parliament re-opens, the Queen only just off the premises, as a signal of good intent that he wants to normalise relations.

Since the PM met the Dalai Lama at St Paul’s Cathedral in May 2012, Britain has been put on the naughty step by Beijing. The UK ambassador in Beijing hasn’t been allowed to see anyone of significance in the regime and cabinet ministers have been, in the words of one minister, effectively “banned” from China. The Chinese make it clear that if a cabinet minister turns up they won’t get to see anyone important so the visit is effectively killed off.

David Cameron has said he wants to break this impasse and go to China later this summer or in the autumn and today, No 10 hopes, could help to make that possible.

When France and Germany were put in the deep freeze by China for similar thought crimes, meeting with the Dalai Lama, they were both made to sign joint statements with Beijing “clarifying” their views on China. You can see the French version if you click on this report of the Sarkozy/Hu Jintao bilateral on the margins of the London G20 in 2009.

It’s not clear whether the Chinese are demanding a similar joint statement to be signed by the UK, but David Cameron’s words in the Commons recognising that Tibet is part of China show he’s ready to peace-make if they are.

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