Tory MP accused of handing propaganda gift to China with trip to Beijing
A TORY MP has been accused of handing a propaganda victory to China by organising a visit by parliamentarians.
Richard Graham hopes to boost ties with the repressive Communist state on his proposed week-long jolly.
He has invited MPs and peers on the All Party Parliamentary China Group to Beijing and Hong Kong later this month.
It is despite growing fears over China’s spying in Britain and claims it is committing genocide against ethnic Uyghurs.
Tory MP Bob Seely MP said: “Given the impossibility of meeting political dissidents in China and Hong Kong, this APPG visit risks handing a propaganda victory to China’s Communist government.
“In its current guise, it is unwise to put it mildly.”
In an email, Mr Graham, the APPG chairman, outlined proposed meetings with members of the Chinese government, officials and businesses.
He said it was a chance to “discuss a wide range of global and bilateral issues”.
Critics say the visit is especially inappropriate given some senior Tory MPs have had sanctions imposed by China.
Tory peer and APPG member Kevin Shinkwin – who did not receive the invite – said: “I can’t begin to understand what their thinking is.
“This is disgraceful. This compromises parliament.”
It comes amid heightened concerns about the influence of China with the Intelligence and Security Committee warning this summer that Beijing is “aggressively” targeting the UK.
Senior British MPs sanctioned by China include former leader of the Tory Party Iain Duncan Smith, Security Minister Tom Tugendhat and Business Minister Nus Ghani.
Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee Alicia Kearns said: “I assume they will be demanding the lifting of sanctions on British MPs in return for giving the CCP this PR coup?”
Lib Dem peer David Alton added: “To take part a trip of this kind is both ill timed and inadvisable.”
But Mr Graham insisted: “In troubled times globally my long held belief in international engagement to try and reduce the risks of misunderstandings is even more important – and completely in line with the government’s China policy of Protect, Align, Engage.
“Of course there some who don’t believe in engagement, but that path leads nowhere and the world needs to work out better ways of co-existing.”
The visit will be funded by the group’s sponsors, which include John Swire & Sons Ltd, City of London Corporation, Arup and HSBC.