Independent Thinking UK in China: Hard choices between rival superpowers
Jan 30, 2026
Dr Yu Jie, a Chatham House China specialist on elite politics and military shifts, and Ben Bland, head of the Asia-Pacific Programme, discuss opaque leadership moves in Beijing. They cover military purges, risks to PLA modernization, UK policy trade-offs between trade and security, renewables and infrastructure concerns, and how London can navigate pressures from rival superpowers.
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Military Purge Raises Strategic Uncertainty
- Xi's purge of senior military figures signals both anti-corruption and political consolidation within the PLA.
- The removals create uncertainty about China's military leadership and future technological progress.
Modernisation Amid Leadership Discord
- Rapid PLA modernisation coincides with discord at the top, increasing global concern about intent and direction.
- Cut ties between senior officers and foreign counterparts reduce informal crisis communication channels.
Set Clear Principles Before Individual Decisions
- The UK should restore high-level dialogue with China while setting clear long-term engagement principles.
- Governments must signal strategy to businesses rather than reacting issue-by-issue, says Ben Bland.