China and UK Next Prime Ministers Checked... State Media: "Want to Be the Iron Lady? Change the Old Imperialism"

Foreign Secretary Truss, Likely Next Prime Minister, Signals Tough Stance on China
Global Times Publishes Critical Editorial Urging Focus on Domestic Issues

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Kim Hyun-jung] China is sending a cautionary message to Liz Truss, the UK Foreign Secretary who is the leading candidate for the next Prime Minister. As Truss has indicated a tough stance on China during her election campaign, the possibility of heightened tensions between the two countries is increasing.

On the 5th, China's state-run English-language media Global Times (GT) published an editorial titled "The New UK Prime Minister Should Not Normalize a Hardline Attitude Toward China." The Global Times pointed out, "The Chinese and allied countries are somewhat pessimistic about whether the new Prime Minister can breathe new life into the UK," adding, "Harsh rhetoric against China and Russia raises concerns."

Truss has led economic sanctions against Russia, which initiated the Ukraine war, within the UK and has maintained an 'ultra-hardline' stance toward China. In particular, she has escalated criticism by classifying China as a 'threat nation.'

The Global Times cited statistics from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), stating, "The UK’s growth slowed to the extent that it lost its position as an economic power to India in the last quarter of last year," and "With India expected to grow over 7% in the first half of this year, the gap between the two countries will widen further." It also emphasized, "This is another example of a colonial economy where the GDP of the United States surpassed that of the UK over 100 years ago, overtaking the colonial ruler."

Furthermore, the editorial diagnosed that the UK is at a "dangerous tipping point" due to inflation impacts such as soaring energy prices ahead of winter. The newspaper criticized, "Some working-class households are facing life-threatening situations due to rising prices," and "In the midst of these serious challenges, the Conservative Party is focusing only on political infighting and attacks on other countries."

The Global Times showed a sensitive reaction to Truss’s mention of increasing the defense budget. It pointed out, "(Truss) cited threats from China and Russia and claimed to expand the defense budget to 3% of GDP by 2030," calling it "the largest increase since the 1950s."

Regarding comparisons of Truss to former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, dubbed the 'Iron Lady,' the editorial sharply stated, "To be the Iron Lady, one must recognize the trends of the times and change the rigid and outdated imperial spirit." It added, "Instead of normalizing a hardline stance toward China, more focus should be placed on domestic pragmatism," and argued, "Playing geopolitical games may attract attention but will not solve the UK's internal problems."

On the point that China is classified as a 'threat nation' and that this could be officially declared, the editorial warned, "Exaggerating the threat from China and disparaging other countries to divert attention is like an old 'meme' performed by actors on political talk shows," and cautioned, "Riding populism is an easy path but makes the fate of the nation more difficult."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.