Russia poses 'most immediate threat' to UK security, says ex MI6 chief
13 September 2022, 21:12
Russia poses "the most immediate threat" to UK security, a former MI6 chief has warned.
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Speaking during LBC's Tonight with Andrew Marr, Sir John Sawers - who led the intelligence service between 2009 and 2014 - said that Russia was a larger threat amid its ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
However, despite being less of a threat to Britain, China's relations with the US remain a concern, Sir John suggested.
"The most immediate threat to Britain's national security is Russia - it's not China," he said.
"But the long-term question for the 21st century is how China and the United States co-exist as great powers in the world and how we avoid a conflict between the two.
"It's absolutely clear where the interests of Britain and Europe lies - it lies on the American side with democracy and freedom and against the communist party control of China."
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Former MI6 chief: The most immediate threat to Britain's national security is Russia, not China
He continued: "I don't myself think the Chinese are going to act rashly.
"In some way, the lessons of Ukraine are going to put them off.
"But they do have the strategic goal of reincorporating Taiwan and there's no political constituency in Taiwan that wants to go along with that so there is the makings of a real difficulty there."
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Taiwan split with the mainland amid civil war in 1949 and the island's 23 million people overwhelmingly oppose political unification with China.
They prefer to maintain close economic links and the status quo of de-facto independence.
Meanwhile, Russia is facing major setbacks in its invasion of Ukraine, with troops having been forced to surrender en masse after Ukraine recaptured around 6,000 square kilometres of land.
Sir John said Russian President Vladimir Putin would be "condemned universally" if he turned to nuclear weapons in an "act of desperation".
