Britain still sending China more than £8m in aid a year
The TelegraphBritain is still sending more than £8 million in aid to China every year, more than a decade after the Tories pledged to stop doing so. ICAI’s report found that aid sent to China from all government departments dropped from £80 million to an estimated £8.2 million between 2019 and 2023/24. Sir Hugh Bayley, the ICAI commissioner and lead writer of the report, said: “There is still too little transparency over how UK taxpayers’ money is being spent in China, and we’re concerned it seems to be going backwards on the issue of ‘administration costs’ charged to the aid budget which can run to millions of pounds. “As China will soon be ineligible to receive aid, it’s important that the Government ensures there is a proper strategy in place for the transition if dialogue with the country on issues of global importance such as climate change is to continue.” Most FCDO aid to China is channelled through an arms-length body, the British Council, with an estimated spend of £5.8 million in 2023/24. “Direct aid to the Chinese Government was stopped in 2011 and the FCDO committed to cut ODA funded programmes in China by 95 per cent from the 2021-22 financial year.
History of this topic
Report: China targets 2 diplomatic allies with Pacific aid
Associated Press
Sydney think tank says China less generous toward Pacific
The Independent
Boris Johnson 'plans to cut foreign aid by £5billion to help meet Britain's £210bn Covid bill'
Daily MailDiscover Related
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