Does China spy on Britain? Of course. But we have more important things to discuss with them | Simon Jenkins

While diplomatic rows are inevitable, the priority is to keep channels open, and engage with Beijing about the climate crisis

Once upon a time Britain would have sent a gunboat up the Yangtze River. That would teach those Chinese a lesson. To hear some MPs talk about Beijing’s espionage activities, you would think gunboats were already on their way.

Of course, it is malicious and hurtful for a foreign state patently to hack into Britain’s Electoral Commission and target senior parliamentarians – ...