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There is barely a global issue that needs resolution which does not beg the questions: what does China think, and how can China contribute to a solution? Such a statement thus leaves no doubt about the phenomenal importance David Cameron’s recent visit to China represents for Britain, and for the Prime Minister himself, providing the opportunity for Cameron to bring forward a range of his views regarding the global position of China.
Whilst Cameron has called for closer trading ties between Europe and China he has expressed his "deeply-held concerns" over human rights within China. He has insisted that “there's no secret we disagree on some issues especially human rights... we don't raise these to make us look good”. His vivid concerns resemble to the views expressed during Barack Obama’s visit to the Chinese capital in November 2009, where issues regarding human rights received significant attention as areas of highly controversial debate. This was further reflected through statements sharing the same view by Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, who was recently put under house arrest by the Chinese authorities - an issue the UK was certain Cameron would immerse himself in, remarking that “Growing economic freedom should go "in step" with political reform to ensure prosperity.
Cameron has insisted that such growing prosperity has helped give Chinese people increasing freedoms within their daily lives. Taking a risky gamble, he urged his hosts to further continue this trend, to recognise that political freedom, the rule of law and a free press represent the best path to stability and prosperity. He furthermore spoke out against China’s consistently repressive record on freedom of speech and travel, the press and the rights of minorities, including Tibet - proving Cameron’s determination to take a tentative step towards speaking truth to power in Beijing. Since coming to power Cameron has been keen to put Britain's commercial interests far higher up the foreign agenda, and he is seeking to seal Beijing-sanctioned, multi-billion pound contracts with British companies with China. However, as the first western leader in China since the announcement of Liu's Nobel award, he has been under growing pressure to layout an appealing case for China to open up in its own long-term interest, affirming his insistence that “the rise in economic freedom in China has been hugely beneficial to China and to the world and will lead to a greater political opening because I am convinced that the best guarantor of prosperity and stability is for economic and political progress to go in step together." He further commented on the virtues placed on British democracy, and the beneficial nature such an ideology can exert onto the government in question. Cameron further insisted how possible public constraints will ultimately lead to improvements within government, strengthening and improving British law consistently, a characteristic almost non existent within the Chinese government despite hints in his previous speech in China in 2007 towards the issue, which the Chinese leadership failed to acknowledge, particularly in regard to ratifying and implementing the international covenant on civil and political rights.
Mr Cameron said China's growing influence in world affairs gave it a vital role in international security, particularly in regards to the issue of nuclear weaponry within Iran and improving Africa’s economy. This in turn he believed in turn would promote China’s international image on a positive level, if both Europe and China began to further open their markets on a more global basis, insisting "the rise in economic freedom in China in recent years had been hugely beneficial to China and to the world. I hope in time this will lead to a greater political opening, because I'm convinced that the best guarantor of prosperity and stability is for economic and political progress to go in step together."
Whilst undoubtedly the trade issue remains a key motive for Cameron in China, he cannot be viewed as jeopardizing Britain’s strong stance on China’s poor human rights record to further Britain’s economic situation, a topic officials insist will be of a delicate nature between the trade interest with China and the need to effectively uphold and protect British support for the continued improvements in the universal values of human rights.
Given Britain’s current economic situation, it is now questionable as to which topic will convey the most attention, given the fact that Cameron’s language on human rights was arguably less strong than that deployed only days earlier by Obama in Indonesia. This has prompted the public to ponder which issue currently retains the most importance within Downing Street – trade or human rights? Indeed, the question remains - will China’s continuing opposition to embracing a much more democratic nature of government spell disaster and give India the opportunity to spurt ahead, and claim a position as the newest emerging global superpower?
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