Boris needn’t outflank Biden on China

‘We must prepare together for a long-term strategic competition with China… We cannot and must not return to the reflexive opposition and rigid blocs of the Cold War. Competition must not lock out cooperation on issues that affect us all.’ These words were not spoken by Boris Johnson as he presented the integrated review to the House of Commons this week. Rather, they were said by President Joe Biden, in his speech to the Munich security conference a month ago. In setting out his vision for a future relationship with China, the Prime Minister and this week’s integrated review may well have been taken from Biden’s script. So why has the IR caused so much controversy?

Julian Lewis, chairman of the intelligence and security committee, accused the government of ‘grasping naivety’ while Tom Tugendhat, head of the foreign affairs equivalent, said that Beijing would be ‘pleased’ and ‘relieved’.