China’s place in British foreign policy in the context of the geopolitical construct of the Indo-Pacific

Abstract

The paper presents a study of the UK’s vision of China’s place in the Indo-Pacific in the context of the Indo-Pacific tilt of London’s foreign policy. The analysis of the key documents for British foreign policy was carried out: a comprehensive review of the security, defense, development and foreign policy issues in the editions of 2021 and 2023, which made it possible to trace the dynamics of London’s approach to Beijing and identify the key threats declared by the British side in relation to the PRC. It was determined that China’s antagonistic image worsened after February 2022 due to the beginning of hostilities on the territory of Ukraine. At the same time, before the start of COVID-19, the parties actively cooperated in the research field, where the Chinese institutions occupied a dominant position.

It is noted that the actions of the government of R. Sunak in relation to Beijing cause discussions in the government structures. Despite building a negative image of Beijing and the CPC, London recognizes the impossibility of abandoning trade and economic ties with mainland China. There is a tendency for a shortage of specialists in the field of Sinology in Britain, which, according to the author, makes a negative contribution to the lack of consistency and integrity in the approach to the PRC.