In Britain, the Wuhan virus crisis made suspicion and anger toward China decisive.
This article examines the end of the so-called “golden era” in UK-China relations through Prime Minister Johnson’s infection, Foreign Secretary Raab’s call to investigate China’s responsibility, the reconsideration of Huawei’s 5G role, and demands from Conservative hardliners and intelligence agencies for a fundamental shift in China policy.

June 14, 2020
The British government, shocked by intelligence-agency investigations showing that the number of infections and deaths in China was several dozen times the official figures, has come to harbor suspicion because, while causing the virus…
The monthly magazine I am referring to is essential reading not only for the Japanese people but also for people all over the world.
After all, despite being filled with genuine articles such as this one, it costs only 950 yen.
The following is a continuation of an article by Noboru Okabe, an editorial writer for the Sankei Shimbun, published in this month’s issue of the monthly magazine WiLL under the title, “The EU and Britain Are Furious with China: Five Japanese Prescriptions for Breaking Away from China.”
This article clearly shows that newspapers such as the Asahi Shimbun and television broadcasters such as NHK no longer have the substance of news organizations at all, and that they are completely under the influence, that is, under the control, of China.
Emphasis in the text, except for headings, is mine.
Britain’s resolve.
Let us return to Britain, mentioned at the beginning.
“How can I express the debt I owe for having my life saved?”
On April 12, British Prime Minister Johnson, discharged from the hospital after having been in serious condition under intensive care, expressed gratitude to medical personnel and showed his determination to unite, through the coronavirus crisis, a society divided by Brexit.
Four days later, on the 16th, Foreign Secretary Raab, who had served as acting prime minister in Johnson’s place, made clear the policy of thoroughly investigating the facts and clarifying China’s responsibility.
He said, “We will have to ask China hard questions. It is clear that after the crisis, we cannot return to business as usual with China. We must review our relationship with China comprehensively.”
Britain accepted a large amount of investment from China because the Cameron government adopted austerity policies as a measure to improve the fiscal deficit after the Lehman Shock.
In 2015, Chinese President Xi Jinping, during his visit to Britain, and former British Prime Minister Cameron concluded investment agreements worth 40 billion pounds, or 7.4 trillion yen, including investment by Chinese state-owned enterprises in British nuclear power projects, and praised this as a “golden era” in UK-China relations.
Ignoring warnings from the United States, Britain became the first European country to join the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, or AIIB, and began cooperation with Huawei, the major Chinese telecommunications-equipment company that the United States was wary of.
In January of this year, Britain decided to partially allow Huawei’s 5G equipment.
Prime Minister Johnson, having recovered from infection, is now facing the backlash from this.
The British government, shocked by intelligence-agency investigations showing that the number of infections and deaths in China was several dozen times the official figures, has come to harbor suspicion because of the special nature of a one-party Communist dictatorship that, while having caused the virus, sealed off the voices of doctors who sounded the alarm in the early stages of infection, used the WHO to spread the false information that there was “no human-to-human transmission,” continued to conceal “inconvenient truths,” and carried out “external propaganda” proclaiming the superiority of its system.
At the center of the condemnation of China are the most hardline members of the ruling Conservative Party, who promoted Brexit, the pillar supporting the prime minister.
In March, MPs such as Jacob Rees-Mogg, who led the hardline pro-Brexit faction, David Davis, who served as Brexit Secretary, and former International Trade Secretary Fox submitted a bill to the House of Commons demanding the complete withdrawal of Huawei’s 5G introduction.
The bill was rejected, but 38 MPs supported it, and they are appealing to Prime Minister Johnson for the reconstruction of every aspect of relations with China, including the withdrawal of Chinese investment from the energy industry and a comprehensive review of China-dependent supply chains.
The reason the Johnson government partially allowed Huawei was that Britain’s mobile-phone companies had introduced Huawei products from 15 years earlier, and excluding the company from 5G would require enormous costs.
But the wind has changed because of the coronavirus.
Now is the chance to cut off dependence on China.
Tom Tugendhat, chair of the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, who launched the China Research Group, argues that “China is trying to skim off the technology of Britain’s advanced companies, and from the standpoint of national security, we cannot avoid reconsidering the introduction of Huawei.”
Lord Patten, the last governor of Hong Kong, also appealed for a review of China policy, including the introduction of Huawei, even if it involves economic costs, saying, “The Chinese government’s response to the coronavirus is dangerous for the entire world. The British government must reset UK-China relations. It is no longer a golden era.”
Huawei, for its part, sent an open letter to the British government on April 1, appealing to be allowed to remain involved by saying that “interrupting the introduction of 5G would cause harm.”
However, Prime Minister Johnson, under strong pressure for “breaking away from China” from senior Conservative figures who support his administration, will inevitably be forced to change his China policy, especially given his own experience of hovering between life and death.
Following Britain, EU countries that had been leaning toward allowing Huawei’s introduction have also begun to move toward reconsideration.
“Now is the time to treat China as an enemy state.”
The chief editorial writer of the Daily Telegraph, where Prime Minister Johnson once worked, also wrote in a column that Britain should “regard China as an enemy state,” pressing the prime minister to make a decision.
The intelligence agencies are also calling for a clean sweep of relations with China.
Sir John Sawers, former chief of the Secret Intelligence Service, or SIS, commonly known as MI6, pointed to China’s concealment, saying, “In December and January, China concealed the problem from the West.”
Ken McCallum, director general of the Security Service, or MI5, which works to maintain domestic security, stated that “the greatest threat now is China,” and declared that surveillance targets would shift from Russia to Chinese industrial espionage and cybercrime.
This article continues.