Chancellor Philip Hammond on Monday defied US pressure to take a tougher line with Beijing, describing China as a “crucial bilateral partner” with a “vital role” in championing the rules-based multilateral order.
Speaking on Monday after talks in London with Chinese vice-premier Hu Chunhua, Mr Hammond suggested Britain could make common cause with China to defend the international trading system against the threat of rising US protectionism.
“Britain is a very open trading economy,” he told reporters. “We are very vulnerable to anything that impacts on global trade or growth in the global economy. It’s vital that we forge a relationship with China that works both for trade and for investment.”
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