Britain’s Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said his country would always be conscious of its colonial past within the Indo-Pacific but could not erase the past.
Britain’s Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said his country would always be conscious of its colonial past within the Indo-Pacific but could not erase the past, as the UK seeks greater ties to counter China’s influence within the region.
Cleverly, who is the first black man to hold his position, stressed following the meeting, known as AUKMIN, there had been “no tensions” or “awkwardness” over the comments and that the pair had previously discussed the issue of Britain’s relationship with its former colonies and the wider Commonwealth.
At the height of its empire, Britain ruled India, Burma [Myanmar], Malaya [Malaysia], Singapore, British Borneo [Malaysia], Hong Kong and a series of small island colonies across the central and southern Pacific Ocean as well as dominions including Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Wong, whose comments had attracted headlines in Australia and the UK media, said the modern face of both nations was representative through the ethnic backgrounds of her and her counterpart and that had made nations “stronger and more influential” in its diplomatic efforts.Getty
Cleverly said the UK’s work with Australia to promote open societies and economic security in the area was crucial to boosting trade with the Indo-Pacific, which is set to account for half of global growth by 2050.
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