Weakness of diplomacy does not work with Xi Jinping

Is China an enemy? To judge by the level of competence displayed in the Westminster espionage case, nobody is qualified to say.

- MICHAEL SHERIDAN

Keir Starmer has insisted the previous Tory government is to blame for the collapse of a high-profile case against two men accused of spying for China. That case, against Christopher Cash, a former parliamentary researcher who worked closely with MPs, and Christopher Berry - who were both accused of passing secrets to Beijing and both denied the charges - was dropped last month.

Director of public prosecutions Stephen Parkinson said the Crown Prosecution Service had tried “over many months” to get the evidence it needed from the government, referring to China as a national security threat to carry out the prosecution, but it had not been forthcoming from the Labour government.

It begs the question: where will Britain draw the line? Last month, the chief of MI6, Richard Moore, called China an enduring challenge, ranking it with Russia and Iran. He blamed Beijing for helping Vladimir Putin wage war against Ukraine.

“It is the support that China has consistently given to Russia, both diplomatically and also in terms of “dual use goods” - the “Made in China” chemicals that end up in their shells; the electronic components that end up in their missiles - that have prevented Putin from reaching the conclusion that peace is his best option,” he said in a rare public speech.