Britain in danger of repeating Brexit mistakes with China relations

British politics is once again allowing domestic drama to override strategic thinking. The latest hysteria surrounding alleged Chinese spying and Beijing’s plans for a new embassy in London illustrates how Britain’s foreign policy risks being driven less by sober calculation than by political theatre. The consequences could be severe: Britain is edging towards repeating the mistakes of Brexit, trading its long-term national interests for short-term populist gain.

Instead, the British political climate is making such a balance nearly impossible. Critics of Britain’s engagement with China are so quick to frame any cooperation as dangerous that London risks being left with only one option: to rely on Washington and align almost automatically with American positions. This deference is strikingly asymmetric. When Trump imposed sweeping tariffs that disrupted global supply chains, Westminster did not erupt with the outrage we now see over China.

Yet today, a single weak spy case is enough to trigger headlines about a full-blown scandal, calling for the prime minister’s resignation. The controversy has become entangled with Beijing’s proposed new embassy in London – an issue that should never have been linked in the first place – leaving even less room for serious diplomacy. Any statement from China is reflexively cast as a threat from an authoritarian regime, while any attempt at dialogue is dismissed as weakness.