Boris Johnson has warned MPs against a new cold war with China as a review of UK foreign and defence policy promised to build a deeper trade relationship with Beijing. The long-awaited review identifies China as “the biggest state-based threat to the UK’s economic security” and a “systemic competitor”, but says Britain should remain open to Chinese investment. We have a balance to strike and we need to have a clear-eyed relationship with China,” he said. Nuclear capBritain has abandoned its commitment to reduce the cap on its nuclear stockpile to 180 warheads and will instead increase it to 260. “The Labour party’s support for nuclear deterrence is non-negotiable, but this review breaks the goal of successive prime ministers and cross-party efforts to reduce our nuclear stockpile.

Source: The Irish Times March 16, 2021 19:48 UTC