Audit finds UK lacks China expertise, and commentary urges Britain to learn from Trump's approach

Summary

An audit by the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) concluded that Britain is poorly prepared for what is widely seen as its epoch-defining challenge: relations with China. The audit found that top negotiators lacked basic Chinese language skills and exposed a deeper deficit in understanding of China across political elites and the public. An opinion piece in the South China Morning Post blames this on desk-bound classroom sinology rather than a nuanced appreciation of China, and argues that Britain can learn from Trump in engaging with Beijing.

Timeline

1. South China Morning Post

   21 Oct 2026, 01:30 UTCSource ↗

   In an opinion piece, the South China Morning Post argues that Britain is woefully unprepared for its China challenge, citing an IPAC audit that found top negotiators lacked basic Chinese language skills, and says Britain can learn from Trump in engaging China.