The PM sat down with Lester Holt last night (Picture: Jim Seida/NBC News)
Rishi Sunak has said China poses a ‘systemic challenge’ to the world order in an exclusive interview with NBC.
The Prime Minister said the ‘behaviour that we’ve seen in China over recent times is concerning’ as he spoke with Lester Holt on his trip to the US.
Earlier today the PM sat announced a £201,000,000 deal with the US and Australia for nuclear submarines.
He said China is ‘acting in a more authoritarian fashion at home’ and is ‘more assertive overseas’ and added that it ‘represents the biggest state threat to our economic interests.’
He added: And it’s a systemic challenge for the world order.’
China has replied to news of the deal by calling it ‘a blatant act of nuclear proliferation’ that undermines regional peace and stability.
Sunak also weighed in on the collapse of the Silicon Valley Bank, saying that it was important to a large number of UK technology companies.
He said he was ‘concerned’ by the behaviour of China in his chat tonight (Picture: NBC)
The PM met with the Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese and US President Joe Biden earlier today (Picture: Simon Walker / No10 Downing Street)
He said: ‘I’ve been working through the weekend with our finance minister, the Chancellor and our Bank of England, our regulators to find an appropriate solution. We’ll be making an announcement about that very shortly.’
‘Britain is back’ Sunak added.
Asked how Britain would respond if China were to try to seize Taiwan through military force, Sunak declined to answer directly.
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The PM said the international response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine served to deter any country from launching an unprovoked attack.
He told NBC: ‘I think the best thing we can do to deter hostile action by any state anywhere, is doing what we’re doing right now in Ukraine. And that’s where we’ve seen an illegal, unprovoked invasion of Ukraine by Russia.
‘And the right thing to have done in that circumstance is to provide Ukraine with all the support that it needs to defend itself.
He added: ‘I think it’s important right now that we accelerate and intensify our support to Ukraine.’
He said London’s commitment to the AUKUS pact was part of an overall increase in defence spending by the UK.
He said: ‘We’re investing more in our armed forces over the next couple of years, billions of pounds more. We’re increasing our defence spending, because my belief is that the world has become more volatile.’
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The Prime Minister said the ‘behaviour that we’ve seen in China over recent times is concerning’ as he spoke with NBC.