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UK's Liz Truss joins Conservative rival in vowing tough line on China

Britain's possible next prime minister Liz Truss on Wednesday (July 27) joined her rival Rishi Sunak in vowing to get tough with China -- by corralling "freedom-loving" Commonwealth nations to stand together, the Anews reported, citing the AFP.
Foreign Secretary Truss marked the opening Thursday (July 28) of the Commonwealth Games, in the English city of Birmingham, by saying the club of former UK colonies was a "vital bulwark" against the rising Asian power.
The Commonwealth includes major Asia-Pacific economies such as Australia and India, which have both been at varying odds with China in recent years.
Along with the United States and Japan, the two countries have formed the "Quad" bloc, which has warned China against resorting to military force in Taiwan in light of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The 54-nation Commonwealth would take centre-stage in a post-Brexit "Global Britain", Truss said, after securing a trade deal with Australia and as Britain seeks a wider deal with a pan-Pacific trading bloc.
I have a clear vision for our country and economy - and the experience and resolve to deliver it.https://t.co/koPyqw4wIG#lizforleader pic.twitter.com/V9jENJmyj6
— Liz for Leader (@trussliz) July 11, 2022
She said: "As one of the largest groups of freedom-loving democracies, we must ensure there are clear benefits to remaining a member of the Commonwealth and offer nations a clear alternative to growing malign influence from Beijing.”
"Prioritising trade with countries across the Commonwealth will strengthen economic and security ties whilst also turbocharging opportunities for British businesses to access one of the world's largest economic blocs."
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In their race to succeed Prime Minister Boris Johnson, both Truss and Sunak have accused each other of being soft on China, staging rare forays into foreign policy while arguing about economic crisis at home.
Former finance minister Sunak on Sunday (July 25) called China the "number one threat" to domestic and global security, as he outlined a series of steps intended to curb its fast-growing influence.
Sunak's proposals include the closure of all 30 Confucius Institutes in Britain, preventing the soft-power spread of Chinese values through culture and language programmes.
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China's foreign ministry said in response that UK politicians should not "talk about China at every turn and make irresponsible remarks such as the so-called 'China threat theory', which cannot solve their problems".
For their critics, both the Conservative rivals are ignoring potential economic benefits much closer to home by pursuing a hardline vision of Brexit, two years after Britain formally quit the European Union.
Layla Moran, foreign affairs spokeswoman for the opposition Liberal Democrat party, accused Truss of "reheating old promises," the report said.
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She said: "As foreign secretary, Truss has helped oversee savage aid cuts to our Commonwealth allies, pushing desperate people into poverty.”
"It shows all the rhetoric about Global Britain is just empty words."
The report noted that Truss ranks ahead of Sunak in polls of Conservative party members, who will decide on their next leader by September 5 after Johnson was forced out by a cabinet revolt.
Source: anews
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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