Conservatives demand apology over false China
claims on Chagos
MP, Shadow Defence
Secretary, has today written to regarding misinformation he
has peddled around the Chagos Islands surrender.
Announcing the shabby deal last week, the Prime Minister told
reporters “It is worth reminding ourselves who is in favour of
this treaty, this deal, and who's against it. In favour are all
of our allies, the US, Nato, Five Eyes, India. Against it,
Russia, China, Iran and, surprisingly, the Leader of the
Opposition.”
Yet in a celebratory press conference, the Mauritius Deputy Prime
Minister expressed gratitude to China “whose unwavering support
played a critical role” in the British surrender. The Chinese
Communist Party has referred to Mauritius as “an old friend”. And
Mauritius newspaper Le Mauricien reports Chinese diplomats
praising the deal as an ‘historical achievement' and that China
praises Mauritius's ‘quest to support territorial integrity'.
Having provided staunch opposition to the surrender, Senior
Conservatives are demanding the Prime Minister apologises for his
lies and holding the British people in contempt.
Notes to Editors
See attached James Cartlidge's letter to
-
Claims made by and Labour Ministers about
China not wanting the Chagos Surrender Deal to go ahead have
been dramatically undermined by the Deputy Prime Minister of
Mauritius singling out China for praise in supporting Mauritius
with its sovereignty claim.
- During his press conference after signing the Treaty
handing over sovereignty to Mauritius, claimed that critics of
the deal were aligned with China, Russia and Iran, who he
said were also against the deal.
STARMER: ‘Against it – Russia, China, Iran and
surprisingly, the leader of the opposition and are in that column,
alongside Russia, China and Iran, rather than in the column
that has the UK and its allies' (The Guardian, 22
May 2025, link).
- However, in a celebratory press conference held in
Mauritius, the country's Deputy Prime Minister, Paul Bérenger,
sitting alongside their grinning Prime Minister, Navin
Ramgoolam, ‘expressed gratitude to the friendly nations and
international organisations, including the African Union, SADC,
India, and China whose unwavering support played a critical
role in the international recognition of Mauritian sovereignty'
(Mauritius Government, Press Release, 23 May
2025, link).
-
Labour cannot hide from the fact that China wants a
deeper strategic partnership with Mauritius and has called the
country's Prime Minister an ‘old friend'. Upon his
election as Prime Minister of Mauritius in November 2024, an
official spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs
referred to Navin Ramgoolam as ‘an old friend of the Chinese
people who has paid several visits to China. China stands ready
to work with the new administration of Mauritius and take the
implementation of the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit as
an opportunity to strive for greater development of the
strategic partnership between the two countries'. Moreover, as
recently as 15 May 2025, China's Ambassador to Mauritius said
the PRC wanted to strengthen ties with Mauritius and noted the
country's ‘strategic advantages', and expressed a commitment to
‘elevating the bilateral strategic partnership' (Chinese
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Spokesperson's Remarks,
12 November 2024, link; Mauritius
Government, Press Release, 15 May 2025, link).
-
Now Mauritius is planning a flag raising on the Chagos
Islands. It was discussed at the Mauritian
Cabinet Meeting on 23 May that ‘the Mauritian national flag
would be raised on the islands of the Chagos Archipelago, to
symbolise the sovereignty of the Republic of Mauritius over the
Chagos Archipelago' (Mauritius Government, Highlights of
Cabinet Meeting – Friday 23 May 2025, link).
- This scene is likely to be reminiscent of Keir Starmer's
friend, Philippe Sands KC, raising the Mauritian flag on the
Chagos Islands in 2022 in a publicity stunt, reported by China
Daily (China Daily, 15 February 2022, link; The
Guardian, 14 August 2022, link).
