Political

UK “has got to be tough with China” – Ed Davey

With the need for progress at COP26 in mind, Ed Davey has been telling Times Radio how to ensure that China plays a productive role:

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The point about China’s dependence on trade with others is an important one. It’s not only a point of pressure on the Chinese government, but it also means that standards in other countries can have a direct impact on what happens in China. For example, animal protection standards set outside China – whether set by other countries or by multinationals – have then had a big knock-on effect on China as its farmers then want to meet those standards to be able to sell their exports. Whether or not the Chinese government itself also sets higher standards, the lure of export markets means international standards get imported back to China.

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One response to “UK “has got to be tough with China” – Ed Davey”

  1. very glad that Ed is making a sensible point and making a sensitive observation.
    The Party should not join the easy bandwagon of criticising China in everything, and imagining they are a big threat to the ‘western’ world, they are not. We should certainly not join the US in sabre-rattling over the South China Sea and talking up future conflict, just to suit the US arms industry. We should set the example by working with China, especially where they are actually leading the world. My PV panels were made in China (and work throughout the hours of daylight, sun or no sun!), my Covid self-test pack was made in China..etc. We have a lot to gain by developing our friendship with them, and through that friendship we can help and persuade them along the route to a greener future… they are already planting thousands of trees and greening up their vast deserts, if only we could learn from their successes instead of focussing on their shortcomings.

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