China anyone?

[effortless]

just asking.

[effortless]

HMS Q. E. should show though.

[Herod]

Is that the HMS Q E that's going ou there as a demonstration of "hard power". With her escort of at least six frigates and a couple of hunter-killer submarines I assume.

[Asturias56]

won't be going until 2023 as the Air group won't be complete see the Future Carrier thread

[Kiltrash]

Ah yes but will be supplemented by USMC F35b as we won't have enough. Or will be laid up in dry dock while POW works up......
ie not soon
Words figment and imagination springs to mind

[tartare]

Yes - increasingly lethal.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/uk-navy-to-push-into-asia-pacific-with-increased-lethality-minister-says-20190212-p50x47.html
I'm sure the Chinese are absolutely terrified by that...

[A_Van]

Just compare the UK and Chinese Navy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_active_People%27s_Liberation_Army_Navy_ships

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_active_Royal_Navy_ships

and it will become obvious that this former seller of (chinese !) ceramic tableware will not frighten anybody there, especially near their shore (where thousands of anti-ship missiles are located).

[Asturias56]

If I was in charge of the PL(N) I'd arrange a full on escort of maybe 2 aircraft carriers and a herd of destroyers to flank the British all the way from Singapore to Tokyo............................ to show respect of course...........

[weemonkey]

You can tell they don't give a rats **** what anyone thinks or does...one Royal Navy carrier and 12 planes ain't gonna faze them neither do US battle groups.
Was on the BBC about the massive "re education" camps for their Muslim population in the NW of country, up to a million people interred and their culture being erased....

Where's the outcry over that??

[falcon900]

Quite the most ridiculous suggestion by a Secretary of State for Defence in a very long time. Impressive given the back catalogue of ridiculous suggestions....

[Union Jack]

You can tell they don't give a rats **** what anyone thinks or does...one Royal Navy carrier and 12 planes ain't gonna faze them neither do US battle groups.
Was on the BBC about the massive "re education" camps for their Muslim population in the NW of country, up to a million people interred and their culture being erased....

Where's the outcry over that??

Possibly in respect of the difference between "interred" and "interned"?😁

Jack

[ICM]

The Times Parliamentary Sketch Writer seems not to have been impressed:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/we-will-serenade-them-on-the-beaches-williamson-on-leadership-manoeuvres-mq2lztsd9?shareToken=5cef10b5a3f8b771dcf3a0caa0a04825

[effortless]

Hang he may have had a brainwave about ferries into warships. Imagine Viking Line set up as stealth warships. They’re already cruising up and down Russian rivers. They could be in the heart of Moscow before Putin even poked the pickle.

[tartare]

Possibly in respect of the difference between "interred" and "interned"?��

Jack

Not at all.
If their internship doesn't re-educate them - I'd imagine the former fate awaits them!

[rmac2]

Sending the navies largest warships to deter a rising power in the far east has been done before with less than succesful results (Repulse and Prince of Wales)

Lets hope the Sea Lords pay more attention to new developments in armaments than they did that time!

[Al-bert]

Well, isn't it going well?

'War Willie's' proposed expedition to the Orient leads to cancellation of PH's trade talks!
Aren't the Chinese supposed to be building our new nuclear power stations?

[Asturias56]

I read somewhere that 10 Downing Street had said any decision on when and where the QE goes will be made there not in the MoD..................

[Two's in]

Disappointed not to see any mention of the 3 Swan boats and the Pedalo permanently on 24 hours notice to move from Hyde Park under Briain's naval assets...

[Asturias56]

BBC website

A visit to China by Chancellor Phillip Hammond has been called off amid reports a speech by the UK's defence secretary angered Beijing.

There were plans for trade talks between Mr Hammond and senior Chinese government figures during the brief visit next week. But a Treasury spokesperson said: "No trip was ever announced or confirmed."
Earlier this week, Gavin Williamson had indicated the UK's intention to send an aircraft carrier to the Pacific. Unconfirmed newspaper reports claimed the Chinese government was unhappy about Mr Williamson's speech on Monday. In it he announced the HMS Queen Elizabeth (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-47192232) would be deployed to the region, as well as the Middle East and the Mediterranean, on its maiden voyage.

China is currently involved in a dispute over territorial claims in the Pacific. Six countries have competing claims over the South China Sea islands. Mr Williamson also said that China (https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/defence-in-global-britain) was "developing its modern military capability and its commercial power". 'Raised eyebrows'BBC political correspondent Jonathan Blake said suggestions the speech had caused China to pull the plug on the trip are being played down officially. However, he said Mr Williamson's comments had "raised eyebrows". "While a source has told me that no final decision has been taken on this visit, it does seem clear, at least from the Chinese side, that it is not going to happen for now," our correspondent added.

Meanwhile, former Chancellor George Osborne said he found it "very difficult" to work out the UK government's policy on China. He told BBC Radio 4's Week in Westminster: "You've got the defence secretary engaging in gunboat diplomacy of a quite old-fashioned kind. At the same time as the chancellor of the exchequer and the foreign secretary are going around saying they want a close economic partnership with China. Ultimately it's the responsibility of Theresa May to sort this out. At the moment it looks all at sea."'Golden era'Prime Minister Theresa May visited China for three days (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-42865133) last year in a bid to boost trade and investment. Ahead of the trip, she said her visit would "intensify the golden era in UK-China relations". Speaking at the time, she said she expected China to play a "huge role" in the economic development which is why she would be "deepening co-operation with China on key global and economic issues."

UK trade with China has increased dramatically in recent years. The government will be hoping to build on that rise after Brexit when the UK will look to complete more bilateral trade deals.
In 2018, China was the UK's sixth largest export market worth around £20.8bn a year, according to HMRC (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/777971/OTS_Release_122018.pdf). Cars formed the major part of trade this trade. Thames Water, Hinkley Point nuclear power station, Scottish flight comparison site Skyscanner, Pizza Express and West Bromwich Albion FC are among those to have recently received investment from Chinese companies and entrepreneurs.

But growth in China's economy is slowing. Official figures released last month showed its economy expanded at its slowest rate (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-46941932) (6.6%) since 1990, while car sales in the country fell by 6% in 2018 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-46887984)- the first fall in two decades. The rate of expansion has raised worries about the potential knock-on effect on the global economy.

[weemonkey]

Well, isn't it going well?

'War Willie's' proposed expedition to the Orient leads to cancellation of PH's trade talks!
Aren't the Chinese supposed to be building our new nuclear power stations?

whew then! good move!!

[hunterboy]

I wonder If anyone in UK procurement has read the book “Badly made in China”? Worth a read before entrusting them to build a nuclear power station I would suggest.

[Phantom Driver]

The Times Parliamentary Sketch Writer seems not to have been impressed:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/we-will-serenade-them-on-the-beaches-williamson-on-leadership-manoeuvres-mq2lztsd9?shareToken=5cef10b5a3f8b771dcf3a0caa0a04825

Definitely wheeze of the day . How NOT to win friends and influence people . One does have to ask--what's wrong with our esteemed secretary of state ? SOS indeed ! Uk deserves a better hand on the Defence tiller .
All this certainly does not augur well for that glowing post Brexit era when countries across the world will be queuing up to sign trade deals with GB Inc.

[Asturias56]

I wonder If anyone in UK procurement has read the book “Badly made in China”? Worth a read before entrusting them to build a nuclear power station I would suggest.


Hmmm - I can remember people saying that about Japanese motorbikes and cars when I was a kid - and we know how THAT turned out

Also see that the UK has trade treaties signed with Switzerland, Chile, Mauritius & the Faeroes.... out of the Famous Forty Liam Fox boasted were "just waiting to sign up" - going to be cold out there guys..........................

[Phantom Driver]

Hmmm - I can remember people saying that about Japanese motorbikes and cars when I was a kid - and we know how THAT turned out

Talking about Japan , I see the FT reporting that Messrs Fox and Hunt have ( allegedly ) managed to upset them as well . What baffles me about all this talk about "taking back sovereignty and striking our own trade deals " is that UK has been doing pretty well within the so-called confines of EU strangulation . There is very little mention in the media of UK winning a pretty big contract last year to supply destroyers to the Oz navy , won in competition with other EU bidders , which (afaik ) is the way it works .

UK is a member of NATO and the UN with associated membership rules ; so , is there a plan to withdraw from these organisations in order to " regain sovereignty " and thereby " make Britain great again " ? Methinks a few people may be smoking the same stuff as our friend Trump .

[Asturias56]

I see Gavin W was in today's Times - this time with the Marines .............. it's becoming a regular Monday feature - I just have a feeling that if Mrs May ever survives to carry out another reshuffle young Gavin will be looking for another job.......................

[dead_pan]

And to think, we could probably have undertaken this rather pointless show of force without consequence if we'd been planning to remain in the EU...

In other related news, it appears Japan's negotiators are getting increasingly exasperated at our negotiating stance too, but for different reasons. And to think the EU has just signed a groundbreaking free trade deal with the country (where's that 'head banging into a wall' emoji?)

[dead_pan]

Scottish flight comparison site Skyscanner, Pizza Express and West Bromwich Albion FC are among those to have recently received investment from Chinese companies and entrepreneurs

Woohoo!! Ignore my previous - everything's going to be fine!