Foreign secretary also says he had ‘frank’ discussions over human rights in Hong Kong

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Jeremy Hunt has discussed the possibility of a free trade agreement between the UK and China, in his first major overseas trip as foreign secretary.

Hunt, seeking to revitalise the golden era in Anglo-Chinese relations started by David Cameron, met the country’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, in Beijing on Monday. At a joint press briefing afterwards the two sides promised to uphold free trade and fight climate change.

Hunt, who has been under pressure to press Chinese leaders on human rights in Hong Kong, said the two sides disagreed on the issue.

“We had very comprehensive discussions about areas where we are in strong agreement … but also areas where we have different views, such as human rights,” he said. “In all cases our discussions were frank and open.”

Hong Kong, a former British colony, is meant to enjoy a high degree of autonomy under the “one country, two systems” principle, as part of the Sino-British joint declaration to enable the handover in July 1997.

Before Hunt’s visit, a group of British politicians called on Hunt to discuss Hong Kong with the country’s state leaders, citing concerns that pressure on human rights and freedoms in the city have “increased and intensified”.

Asked to elaborate on the discussions on Hong Kong, Hunt said: “Hong Kong is part of China ... and the UK is very committed to the ‘one country, two systems’ approach, which we think has served China and Hong Kong very well.”

Wang said: “We do not welcome nor do we accept other countries to interfere in Chinese domestic affairs.”

Hunt, who inherited the trip from his predecessor, Boris Johnson, is visiting China at a time when Beijing is seeking allies to counter the US in an ongoing trade war.

Hunt said the UK would explore the possibility of opening talks for a free trade agreement between China and the UK after Brexit.

“China and Britain have very different systems but we do have a lot in common, and we in the UK think that the rise of China and China’s economy and Chinese power can and must be a positive force in the world,” Hunt said.

Theresa May visited China in January, but the era of close relations – including major strategic inward investments by China – that was hailed by Cameron has appeared to be on the wane. That is partly due to the lack of an unalloyed enthusiast for China in the mould of George Osborne in the Treasury.

The Commons foreign affairs select committee, which is inquiring into China’s commitment to multilateralism, has been told Brexit will reduce Chinese interest in the UK as it seeks to make common cause with the EU to resist US trade aggression.

Ahead of the visit, a clutch of British foreign policy experts, including Lord Ashdown and Sir Malcolm Rifkind, urged Hunt to discuss Hong Kong with the country’s state leaders.

In a letter, they raised objections to the Hong Kong police force’s recommendation to ban the Hong Kong National party for posing a threat to national security through publicly promoting the city’s independence.

Last week, Hong Kong’s security minister said he was considering the recommendation to ban the party, and gave the organisation and its leader, Andy Chan Ho-tin, until 7 August to convince him otherwise.

The letter also raised concerns about the disqualification of pro-democracy and pro-independence lawmakers – a result of China’s top legislative body interpreting oath-taking rules in the Basic Law, the city’s mini-constitution.

“Freedom of expression is facing threats from multiple fronts,” they wrote, pointing to the abduction of booksellers and the removal of academics from their posts. They added that the city’s judiciary was under pressure as Beijing’s interpretation could compromise the city’s rule of law.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Pro-democracy activists take part in a rally in Hong Kong. Photograph: Jerome Favre/EPA

In the letter, the five signatories said: “The United Kingdom has a unique relationship with Hong Kong due to the Sino-British joint declaration. This agreement underpins the special trading relationship that the United Kingdom has with Hong Kong because ‘one-country, two-systems’ ensures that it has the robust rule of law, freedom of information, labour rights, intellectual property rights, and transparency which our businesses need. It is also an important example in the region of a city where basic human rights are upheld to the benefit of all.”

The Foreign Office insisted Anglo-Chinese relations were burgeoning, pointing to £9bn-worth of major commercial deals.

After his visit to China, Hunt will travel to France and Austria to discuss Brexit. Hunt, who is close to May, is being given a bigger role in Brexit talks than Johnson, who was distrusted inside Downing Street and not greatly admired in major European capitals.