Failing to engage with China would be “a betrayal of our national interest”, the foreign secretary will say.

In a speech to Mansion House on Tuesday, James Cleverly will insist the government is willing to be robust in its discussions with Beijing.

But he will add: “No significant global problem – from climate change to pandemic prevention, from economic stability to nuclear proliferation – can be solved without China.

“To give up on China would be to give up on addressing humanity’s biggest problems.”

Politics live: Sunak faces new investigation into possible code of conduct breach
Analysis: The awkward multi-polar world of the West versus ever-wealthy developing countries

The government is under increasing pressure from prominent Conservative backbenchers – including former prime minister Liz Truss – to take a tougher stance with Beijing.

During his leadership campaign last summer, the now-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the country was “the biggest long-term threat to Britain”.

The awkward multi-polar world of the West versus ever-wealthy developing countries

India to surpass China as the most populated country in world, UN figures show

At least 29 killed in Beijing hospital fire

But after taking the keys to Number 10, he appeared to soften his language, instead saying the UK should stand up to China “with robust pragmatism”.

Mr Cleverly is expected to echo this sentiment, “rejecting any attempts to describe a country of China’s scale and complexity in one word or phrase, whether ‘threat’, ‘partner’ or ‘adversary'”.

He will say: “It would be clear and easy – perhaps even satisfying – for me to declare a new Cold War and say that our goal is to isolate China.

“Clear, easy, satisfying – and wrong. Because it would be a betrayal of our national interest and a wilful misunderstanding of the modern world.”

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

However, Mr Cleverly was also pledge to be “unflinchingly realistic about China’s authoritarianism”, and be “clear about our right to act when Beijing breaks its international obligations or abuses human rights”.

The foreign secretary will say: “We do not expect our disagreements with China to be swiftly overcome, but we do expect China to observe the laws and obligations that it has freely accepted.

“If China breaks them, we are entitled to say so and to act, as we did when China dismantled the freedoms of Hong Kong, violating its own pledge, and we gave nearly 3 million of Hong Kong’s people a path to British citizenship.

“Peaceful co-existence has to begin with respecting fundamental laws and institutions, including the UN Charter, which protects every country against invasion”.

‘Revulsion’ over treatment of Uyghur people

Elsewhere in his speech at the Lord Mayor’s Easter Banquet, Mr Cleverly will condemn “the mass incarceration of the Uyghur people in Xinjiang”, adding: “I hope our Chinese counterparts do not believe their own rhetoric that we are merely seeking to interfere in their domestic affairs.

“Just as we should try harder to understand China, I hope that Chinese officials will understand that when their government builds a 21st century version of the gulag archipelago, locking up over a million people at the height of this campaign, often for doing nothing more than observing their religion, this stirs something deep within us.

“Our revulsion is heartfelt and shared unanimously across our country and beyond. We are not going to let what is taking place in Xinjiang drop or be brushed aside.”

And the foreign secretary also call on Beijing to be open about the purpose of its recent large military expansion.

Related posts:

Sunak defends tax changes as ‘a fair way to help solve the problems that we need to’ Cabinet minister dismisses Cummings claims as ‘tittle-tattle’ – as Labour demands inquiry Johnson says he would not use ‘offending language’ from his past now he’s PM ‘There was no plan’: Cummings’s key claims on early pandemic strategy Defence secretary says Kabul evacuation efforts ‘diverted’ by bid to rescue animals cared for by ex-Marine Time left for Kabul evacuations ‘quite short’, PM says – amid warnings airport is under threat of terror attack Labour make pitch to be ‘party of home ownership’ ahead of conference ‘No straight answers’ as Sinn Fein meets PM over Northern Ireland impasse House of Lords could temporarily move to ‘one of most attractive places in England’, says Gove Labour surges to record lead in polls as Truss insists mini-budget did not cause economic turmoil Teachers postpone strike action in Wales after new offer on pay A worrying trend is emerging for the Tories in by-elections – and it’s not one they should brush off