Tony Blair on China

Tony Blair has stated that China represents a major story of transformation and called on Western nations to develop a coherent strategy for dealing with its rise, stressing a position of "strength plus engagement." He has explicitly warned against attempts to isolate China, asserting that such efforts are doomed to fail because the world requires greater understanding of the nation's position and development. Furthermore, he has argued that China has every right to be a major power due to its civilization, population, economy, and technology, suggesting that the era of sole Western political and economic dominance is ending, with the world becoming bipolar or multipolar.

His approach suggests that the UK and its allies should maintain military superiority and build soft power ties globally, while simultaneously engaging with Beijing across government and societal sectors for mutually beneficial cooperation. He has noted that his institute considers China a premium partner for many countries, which prefer not to choose sides between major powers. This necessitates strengthening dialogue and cooperation to ensure sustained and positive bilateral development, even while acknowledging areas of disagreement and competition against Western systems.