Opinion | Rebuilding Britain, brick by brick - But how?

By Philip Yeung, university teacher

PKY480@gmail.com

Yes, no-drama Starmer has retaken No. 10 for Labor. But from day one, his plate is piled high with problems. He has lost no time in promising a reset to get Britain out of the mess.

The British premiership is like a musical chair; so many players have come and gone.  Thank God for Liz Truss. Rishi Sunak has been spared the embarrassment of being a short-serving prime minister. The dubious honor of being the shortest-serving PM belongs to the poor woman who barely had time to warm her bottom on her seat before being booted out-- in just 49 days.

Britain's rickety politics is largely Brexit-induced. Its economy has since shriveled, its cost of living has skyrocketed, and its international footprint has shrunk. Britain no longer makes waves.  Floundering outside the EU, its so-called special relationship with the US has loosened its anchor. The truth is, Britain now needs America more than America needs Britain. In an asymmetrical relationship, clinging to the US has circumscribed Britain's options. A reset therefore entails a rethink on America.

Another country that warrants a rethink is China. Britain's domestic misery is tied to its anemic trade. Bettering the livelihood of its people calls for growing its economy by boosting trade. The single most lucrative market worth wooing is China. Thankfully, there are no real quarrels between the two countries. The noise and nonsense about Hong Kong, Taiwan and Xinjiang is just an American concoction. Next to Gaza, Xinjiang is a paradise. Ask yourself: How can a country possibly persecute its Muslim minorities if they enjoy lower university entrance requirements or exemption from tough one-child policy? Genocide and preferential treatment are mutually exclusive terms. Gaza is genocide. Outside Gaza, it rings hollow and false. Walk around any Chinese streets; they are free of hate crimes that have been the curse of American cities. Here, foreigners feel safe, and so do ethnic minorities.

So, spare us the sermons about Chinese mistreatment of minorities or the curtailment of freedom for Hong Kong rioters. The January 6 riots lasted only one day, claiming eight lives and getting a thousand-plus rioters locked up. Occupy Central paralyzed Hong Kong city center for nine months, with no enforcement fatalities. No more holier-than-thou lectures on violent fights for freedom. New Zealand has carefully calibrated its policy by not being judgmental about a country at peace with itself.  British politicians may think they breathe through the same nostrils as their American counterparts. But all they do is to help keep America's big China lie alive.

When Cameron was in charge, China and Britain enjoyed a brief honeymoon. There is no earthly reason why they cannot reinstall that golden interlude. When you think China, just remember one thing: It is the only major power playing peacemaker, its hands untainted by blood. The so-called tensions in the South China Sea boil down to one simple truth: China needs to keep the vital sea lanes open for trade and economic survival, or it will be choked by America's coastal containment. China's geography dictates its defensive posture. The South China Sea is not about territorial ambitions. It is about preventing a blockade.

Starmer has promised to treat every British citizen with respect. Why not respect for foreign countries as well?  Exorcise your China demons. It poses no threat, military or economic, to Britain. The UK's reset is fruitless unless it redefines its relationship with China. Starmer says he wants to rebuild Britain, brick by brick. I submit, one of those bricks bears a "made-in-China" label. Without China, Britain's economy will continue to stall. Why get sucked into America's fight for global supremacy that is none of your business? Being led by the nose by America has dragged Britain into needless conflicts. Think Iraq. Think Afghan. Besides, who in his right mind would want to take orders from a White House occupant who is either a dangerous buffoon or a senile old man?

Britain has lost its mojo. It should take America's anti-China propaganda with a large pinch of salt. Chart its own course. Otherwise, on an American leash, Britain can't go far answering to the US dog whistle.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of DotDotNews.

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