Since he arrived in the United Kingdom on Oct. 20, Chinese leader Xi Jinping has been feted like a visiting king. With the most pomp that the U.K. can muster, Xi was welcomed by the cavalry, walked down the red carpet with the queen, and was treated to a sumptuous state dinner.
Prime Minister David Cameron and Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne have made elaborate efforts to send a message that investment from China comes first—above human rights concerns, and even ahead of national security considerations.
A number of investment and trade deals were struck: including allowing Chinese state-owned companies to play a role in building the U.K.’s nuclear power plants. Concerns from the intelligence services have been sidelined.
In all this, the U.K. has been strongly rebuked by analysts across the spectrum, for what they see as its unnecessary sycophantism and lack of principle in groveling after Chinese money.
James McGregor, a well-known business consultant and author, characterized the U.K. approach as acting like a “panting puppy.” He added, in an interview with BBC, “China does not respect people who suck up to them.”
China may not respect the U.K., but according to an analysis of official newspapers, sucking up is just the way China likes it.
Foreign Validation
China’s own official and semi-official newspapers have been awash with praise for the U.K. and its China policies over the last few days.
China News Service, the regime’s mouthpiece for external propaganda, counseled that U.K. parliamentarians ought to “take the long view, continue being vigorous promoters of China–U.K. relations, be contributors to China-U.K. friendship, be supporters of cooperation ...”
Official state media, Xinhua, produced what resembled a 1,300 character love poem about the U.K.–China relationship.
