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Lord Peter Mandelson’s appointment as the new UK ambassador to Washington has come under scrutiny following revelations of his meeting with a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) official linked to alleged global campaigns against dissidents.
The Labour veteran, selected last month by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to represent Britain during Trump’s second term, met with CCP official Liu Jianchao in June 2023. Liu previously led a controversial Chinese repatriation campaign that human rights organizations have labeled as “transnational repression.”
Details of the meeting emerged through a press release on the CCP’s international department website, which indicated the discussion centered on strategic communication between major UK political parties and China.
'It could only be worse if the UK sent someone like Prince Andrew as Ambassador.'@DrewHaleDC discusses the 'risks' and 'red flags' around Keir Starmer's appointment of Peter Mandelson as UK Ambassador to the US, including his business ties to Chinese state interests. pic.twitter.com/MKBBwPsq9N
— GBN America (@GBNAmerica) January 29, 2025
According to the release: “Mandelson said that the current world situation is very different from the past, and European countries have no intention of curbing China’s development and do not support ‘decoupling’ from China. He hopes that European businesses can continue to enjoy a good business environment and opportunities when doing business and hopes that both sides will promote the positive development of UK-China and EU-China relations through party channels.”
The purpose of Mandelson’s visit remains unclear. When questioned about the meeting, he dismissed the inquiries as “ridiculous nonsense.” At the time, he served as chairman of Global Counsel, his consulting firm, while maintaining close ties to Labour leadership, particularly with Starmer’s chief of staff Morgan McSweeney.
Recent developments include the submission of a dossier to the FBI detailing Mandelson’s Chinese connections. Compiled by the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, the document reportedly outlines three additional meetings between Mandelson and CCP officials.
Despite being a vocal critic of Trump, Mandelson secured White House approval for his ambassadorial role, even amid mutual antipathy between their respective political affiliations.