Chinese Ambassador to Britain Liu Xiaoming attacked the UK for interfering in China’s internal affairs over the Hong Kong security issue last week. After a controversial law was passed in China, the UK offered citizenship to Hong Kong residents, to the frustration of China. While on Sky News with Kay Burley, Sir Iain Duncan Smith dismissed the comments from China and demanded the secretive state abide by international rules before criticising other nations.
Ms Burley said: “The Chinese ambassador to the UK said we were trampling on the basic norms of international relations.
“He said the consequences may be many, that is pretty chilling.”
Sir Iain was unphased by these comments and sternly responded.
He said: “Yeah, that is a little bit rich from an ambassador who spends his whole time threatening everybody.
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“And it is a bit rich coming from a China, who has been trampling on every single international norm.
“This is a country and Government that doesn’t agree with the rule of law, human rights and has oppressed the Tibetans and the Christians.
“China is having huge border disputes, it has taken over South China Seas against the objections of the countries that live in that area.”
Sir Iain claimed that the UK is not outright saying it does not want to work with China in the future, however.
Culture Secretary, Oliver Dowden, is expected to announce the Government’s plans to ban Huawei from having a role in the UK’s 5G network.
This has sparked concern that this will further enrage China and result in a backlash from the country.
Despite the incoming ban, BT has warned it will be impossible to remove all the Huawei kit in under 10 years.
While on BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme, BT’s chief executive Philip Jansen said: “If you wanted to have no Huawei in the whole of the telecoms infrastructure across the whole of the UK, I think that’s impossible to do under 10 years.”