‘Patient diplomacy’: Britain’s grand plan to counter Russia, China revealed in speech

Key points

• Britain will overhaul its long-term approach to foreign diplomacy by building new partnerships with emerging economic powers.
• This is part of an effort by Britain to curb the rise and influence of authoritarian regimes.
• Described as “patient diplomacy”, Britain’s Foreign Secretary James Cleverly argued that Britain had for too long focused its attention on its traditional allies or, conversely, foes.
• Britain is now expected to build bridges with countries with young populations including India, Indonesia, and Brazil.
• Cleverly acknowledged that the human rights regimes of some countries would not be a precondition for creating a long-term relationship.

London: Britain will overhaul its long-term approach to foreign diplomacy by building new partnerships with emerging economic powers – many of which will not share the UK’s democratic values – as it tries to curb the rise and influence of authoritarian regimes.

In his first major policy speech since becoming foreign secretary in September, James Cleverly argued that British diplomacy needed to move beyond long-established alliances, arguing its policies have not “caught up” with the way the geopolitical centre of gravity was moving south and east.

Britain’s Foreign Secretary James Cleverly speaking in London, unveiling a long-term strategy for foreign policy. Credit:AP

Described as “patient diplomacy”, Cleverly argued that Britain had for too long focused its attention on its traditional allies or, conversely, countries like China or Russia that pose some kind of threat.

Focusing on a 30-year foreign policy horizon, he said that approach would not be enough to sustain the international order unless its principles and institutions command the support of the world beyond Europe and North America.

“We cannot hang on to the comfort blanket of our pre-existing friends and alliances and we need to grow, and we need to make sure that we are having conversations in diverse countries that are moved by different philosophies,” Cleverly told an audience of diplomats at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office in Whitehall.

“The reality is that if we are not good friends you can bet others will try to fill the void and seize any opportunity that we might be mistaken enough to give them.”

While not offering a list of the target countries, which are believed to be about 20, Cleverly mentioned countries with young populations including India, Indonesia, Brazil, South Africa, Ethiopia and Vietnam.

He argued that such countries were focused on attracting investment, decarbonising their economies and creating jobs for their typically younger population. He said new partnerships would cover trade development, defence, cyber-security, technology, climate change and environmental protection.

“In all these fields and many others, our opportunity is to show that the UK can be and will be a reliable, trustworthy and long-term partner and I am determined that we’ll make investments of faith in the countries that will shape the world’s future.”

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly outlines the concept of ‘patient diplomacy’ to members of the press at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office in London, England. Credit:Getty

Cleverly argued the only route to peace in Europe was for Russian President Vladimir Putin to end his war and withdraw his troops. He said the UK had benefited beyond measure in its opposition to the war from its “rock solid friendships” with the US, France, Germany, Australia, Canada, and many others.

But he hinted that defeating Russia would not be enough, and the West also needed to convince new allies in the south and the east that these rules are in their interests too.

Grappling with ballooning debt and deficit following the coronavirus pandemic, critics argued that the recent cut in its aid budget from 0.7 per cent to 0.5 per cent of gross domestic product, would undermine Cleverly’s objective.

But he said the new approach would be undermined if Britain looked for swift dividends or windfall gains, and it must overlook any temptation to question that effort.

He said Britain needed to portray itself as a trusted partner, with strong and robust institutions which kept its word while the pace of change in the world was “accelerating at hurricane force”.

As recently as 2001, 80 per cent of countries conducted more trade with the United States than with China, Cleverly said, yet by 2018 there had been an almost complete reversal, with nearly 70 per cent of nations now trading more now with China.

“And in the coming decades, an ever greater share of the world economy – and therefore the world’s power – will be in the hands of countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America,” he said.

“Together they will decide whether the international order will endure. That reality has been evident for some time, but I am not convinced that British diplomacy has fully caught up.”

While only mentioning China in passing, by emphasising the rule of law, free trade and national sovereignty, it was clear that Britain hopes to offer itself as a potential shield against Beijing’s assertiveness. But without implicitly saying so, Cleverly acknowledged that the human rights regimes of some countries would not be a precondition for creating a long-term relationship.

Asked how Britain could match the massive cash on offer for infrastructure deals made by China in the Indo-Pacific and Africa, Cleverly said countries would be wise to be cautious of no-strings agreements that emerged to be too good to be true.

He said ultimately the West’s fortunes would depend on a stable and peaceful international order.

“When powerful states like China reject defensive alliances as ‘bloc politics’, they either misunderstand the desire of every nation to live in peace, without fear of aggression; or they perhaps provide a signal of intent, especially chilling from a country militarising at a pace that the world has rarely seen before,” he said.

“For our part, Britain will demonstrate our long-term commitment to the Indo-Pacific, including by joining the Trans-Pacific free trade agreement as soon as possible.

“We will deepen our cooperation with India, the new president of the G20, and finalise our trade agreement with them. We will support Indonesia and South Africa with their plans for Just Energy Transition, showing how the necessary investments can be mobilised at scale.”

Just Energy Transition involves decarbonising of economies in the Global South in a way doesn’t put them at a special disadvantage to their richer peers.

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