Britain’s China conundrum
Political Fix
Financial Times
4.2 • 1.2K Ratings
🗓️ 28 March 2024
⏱️ 36 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
The government is preparing a crackdown on Chinese entities operating in the UK, following malicious cyber campaigns linked to Beijing. But there are tensions among ministers over how to protect the UK’s national interests without heavily damaging trade with China. The FT’s Lucy Fisher is joined by Political Fix regulars George Parker, Robert Shrimsley and Miranda Green to discuss the government’s tricky balancing act. Plus, as the political term draws to a close, it’s time to mark Rishi Sunak’s report card.
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Follow Lucy on X: @LOS_Fisher, Robert @robertshrimsley, Miranda @greenmiranda, George @GeorgeWParker
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Presented by Lucy Fisher. Produced by Audrey Tinline with Leah Qiunn. Manuela Saragosa is the executive producer. Audio mix and original music by Breen Turner. The FT’s head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.
Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | The latest episode of the next five podcast is all about health prevention and vaccines. |
| 0:04.0 | Ice speeds Kate Hashi at G.S.K. |
| 0:06.0 | For every dollar invested in improving health, there's an economic return of two to four dollars. |
| 0:11.8 | Murray Aiken at Icubia Institute for Human Data Science. |
| 0:15.2 | The benefits of adult vaccination are compelling. |
| 0:18.3 | And David Sinclair at the International Longivity Center. |
| 0:21.3 | Preventable conditions amongst those aged 50 to 64 in the UK cost |
| 0:25.1 | 27 billion a year. |
| 0:26.8 | Listen to the full episode of the next five, wherever you get your podcasts. The UK's China conundrum. How to balance security with trade. |
| 0:51.0 | Welcome to Political Fix, your essential insider guide to Westminster from the Financial Times with me Lucy Fisher. Coming up, we'll examine the details of the government's plans to tighten the rules |
| 0:56.2 | on Chinese activity in the UK. |
| 0:59.3 | And while Rishi Sunak has made it to the end of the parliamentary term will dissect the big challenges looming for the Tories. |
| 1:06.0 | With me here in the FT studio, our political fix regulars Miranda Green, hi Miranda. |
| 1:11.0 | Hello Lucy. |
| 1:12.0 | Robert Shimsley, hi Robert. |
| 1:14.0 | Hi, Lucy. And George, hi George. |
| 1:16.0 | Hi, Lucy. |
| 1:25.0 | So we'll mark the government's report card as it gets to the Easter break shortly. But first, the big story of the week, the allegations that China has launched two major |
| 1:30.0 | malicious cyber campaigns against the UK. |
| 1:33.6 | Firstly, an attack on the UK's Electoral Commission database, |
| 1:37.8 | and secondly, an attack hacking or attempting to hack |
| 1:41.0 | at UK Parliamentarians. George George just how big a deal is this |
... |
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