Minister: UK must balance national security concerns over China with trade aims

Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Britain has to balance “very clear” national security concerns, including over China, with being an “outwardly facing” trading nation in light of its “fragile” economy, according to a Foreign Office minister. She cannot ignore the human rights issues on her visit.” Ms West replied: “We’re in a position where our economy is quite fragile, and whilst we have very clear national security concerns, and today’s a really good example of those, we do have to balance those with being an outwardly facing and globally trading nation, where we need to sometimes be involved with other countries where their values may not completely align with ours. Ms West said she has “personally promised” Mr Lai’s son that she would raise the case of his father, adding: “Unfortunately, because of our rather exposed position post-Brexit, we do have to be outwardly looking in our economy if we want our residents and our constituents to get away from food banks.” Labour MP Sarah Owen sought assurances that UK police forces fully understand the “seriousness of the threat” to the safety of Hongkongers on UK soil. After Liberal Democrat MP Bobby Dean suggested the Government should “cancel the Chancellor’s visit” to China, Ms West said: “There will not be cancelling of trips on the basis that there has to be an element of outward focus by the UK, particularly given the legacy economically and the position we find ourselves in.” Luke de Pulford, executive director of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, described Ms West’s remarks on the UK’s trading goals as a “shocking admission”.