Ipac Audit Criticizes UK China Policy as Incoherent

The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China published an audit on Wednesday criticizing the United Kingdom's foreign policy toward China as being beset by incoherence and lacking senior expertise. The report warns that muddled policy and a power imbalance have exposed the UK to interference risks from the People's Republic of China, which the alliance characterizes as an inherently hostile authoritarian state.

According to the audit, the UK government suffers from a shortage of Mandarin speakers and officials with lived experience in China among its senior ranks. While the report acknowledges that total disengagement is not a viable option, it recommends that the government establish clear red lines concerning critical infrastructure, frontier technologies, and human rights.

To mitigate risks, the alliance suggests diversifying supply chains and improving institutional coordination. The report identifies the climate crisis as a low-risk area where cooperation remains necessary, despite ongoing concerns regarding labor and trade. Former security minister Tom Tugendhat endorsed the findings, describing the audit as a realistic take on a defining foreign policy problem.