UK's 'golden era' with China 'sent wrong message', says Liz Truss

Liz Truss will call on world leaders to stand up to China in her first speech since resigning as prime minister.

Speaking at the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China Symposium in Tokyo on Friday, the Conservative MP and former foreign secretary will “reject [the] fatalism” of those who think “the rise of a totalitarian China is inevitable”.

She will say: “The free world has a significant role to play in whether or not that happens – and how it happens.”

Ms Truss will also criticise the UK government’s former approach to Beijing under David Cameron and George Osborne – the so-called “golden era” of increased economic ties – saying it “sent the wrong message”.

Her appearance comes amid growing pressure on Rishi Sunak from his own party to take a tougher stance on China.

Mr Sunak said in November that the “golden era” was over, but described the nation as a “systemic challenge” rather than a threat to the upset of his MPs

Speaking earlier this month, one of Ms Truss’ allies said she would be “hawkish” in the speech, and address her successor’s choice of words.

Mr Sunak also faced criticism from another former Tory leader earlier this week, Sir Iain Duncan Smith, over reports officials were set to meet Erkin Tuniyaz, the governor of Xinjiang province who has been accused of genocide of Uyghur Muslims.

The meeting is now understood to have been cancelled.

‘We must learn from the past’

Ms Truss’ speech also comes amid increasing international tensions with China over trade, human rights and Taiwan.

On the latter, she will urge countries to “strengthen ties” with Taiwan, calling it “a beacon of freedom in a world where civil liberties and human rights are often suppressed”.

She will add: “We must learn from the past. We must ensure that Taiwan is able to defend itself. And we must work together across the free world to do this.

“It’s so important to do all we can to support Taiwan – because prevention is better than cure. If we build up the defence links now, if we build up the economic links now – that will help protect Taiwan and protect freedom.”

The comeback

Ms Truss resigned as the UK’s prime minister last October after the fall-out from her so-called mini-Budget, with a raft of unfunded tax cuts spooking the markets and sending them into turmoil.

Despite the nature of her exit, she is expected to reference “turbulent economic times” and “severe shocks” across democratic countries during her speech.

Her first public appearance after that came earlier this month with a 4,000-word article in the Telegraph.

She claimed that while she wasn’t “blameless”, she was never given a “realistic chance” to implement her radical tax-cutting agenda and blamed what she called a “powerful economic establishment” for removing her from Downing Street.

In an interview with the Spectator a day later, she said she did not regret her time as PM but ruled out another run at the job.