Boris Johnson on China

Boris Johnson’s position on China has shown a significant evolution, particularly concerning security and diplomatic relations. While serving as Foreign Secretary in 2018, he approved the proposal for China’s London super-embassy at Royal Mint Court, welcoming it as "China's largest overseas diplomatic investment" and citing political commitments at the highest levels to ensure reciprocal projects, such as the UK's embassy redevelopment in Beijing, proceeded concurrently. This early period reflected a desire to foster strong bilateral ties, evidenced by a call with President Xi Jinping in March 2022 where he expressed sympathy over a recent tragedy and discussed mutual interests.

However, his later commentary adopted a significantly more critical tone, especially following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and heightened tensions in the Indo-Pacific. He has since rejected what he terms China's "bullying" of Taiwan, advocating instead for deeper ties between Western nations and Taiwan, emphasizing shared democratic values. This shift indicates a prioritization of geopolitical alignment and democratic solidarity over the previously emphasized economic and investment relationship, framing the current struggle as one between freedom and autocracy.