Rachel Reeves

Rachel Reeves

Labour — Leeds West and Pudsey

Speaking in the House of Commons on 14 January 2025

Debate

UK-China Economic and Financial Dialogue

Contribution

I thank the hon. Gentleman for that thoughtful question. It is important that when we engage with China, we co-operate where we can, we compete where necessary, but we challenge whenever our values do not align. Like the hon. Gentleman, I care deeply about issues of religious freedom and forced labour, but that is the whole point of engaging. We have to engage in the world as it is, not in the world as we would like it to be. It is through those engagements that we are able to raise even some of the most difficult issues and be very clear about the values of our great country.

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