Former UK Prime Minister Liz Truss in a letter to her successor Rishi Sunak, on Thursday (Oct 26), asked him to “reconsider” his decision to extend an invite to China for the upcoming AI summit.
Truss said that she was “deeply disturbed” to learn that the British government intended to welcome representatives of China who have in the past abused technology for its own gains and have devalued freedom and democracy.
Expressing her disappointment, she took to her official X account and said, “China should not be invited to the UK’s AI Summit at Bletchley Park. We should be working with our allies, not those seeking to subvert freedom and democracy. I have written to the Prime Minister requesting that the invitation be rescinded.”
trending now
-
)
Tiger 3: Michelle Lee on shooting fighting scene with Katrina in towel, says ‘It was definitely a challenge’
-
)
Video: Netanyahu claims this is how Hamas uses hospitals as bases to attack Israel
-
)
‘Hamas ready to release civilian hostages but on one condition’, says Iran
-
)
Indian troops need to leave Maldives, they will not be replaced by troops from other nations: Muizzu
-
)
Explained: Why Li Keqiang’s death could spur anti-Jinping campaign in China
-
)
Crash Landing on You actor Cha Chung-Hwa gets married, check out her first photos here
-
)
AUS vs NZ Head-to-head: World Cup 2023-Australia vs New Zealand pitch report, weather update, live streaming
-
)
Top 10 world news: Ivanka told to take witness stand in Trump civil fraud case, & more
-
)
NED vs BAN Head-to-Head: Check weather forecast, pitch report, probable playing XI and all you need to know
-
)
Trump civil fraud case: Ivanka Trump told to take witness stand
-
)
How Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies look like when they merge. Take a look
-
)
New EU Ambassador Hervé Delphin upbeat on ‘ascending’ ties with India and FTA talks
-
)
Scientists discover cannabis inside totally different plant
-
)
ODI World Cup 2023: Pakistan rope in Usama Mir as concussion sub, scalps Van der Dussen in first over
She, in the letter, hit out at the Chinese state which she said had used technology to “aid its oppression of millions and attack on freedom and democracy”.
“The regime in Beijing has a fundamentally different attitude to the West about AI, seeing it as a means of state control and a tool for national security,” she warned in the letter shared on X.
She further in the letter stated that the above-mentioned reasons were why the deputy prime minister of the UK in 2020 when he was serving as digital secretary, had removed all Huawei equipment from the UK’s 5G networks.
“No reasonable person expects China to abide by anything agreed at this kind of summit, given their cavalier attitude to international law,” she added.
This comes at a time when UK PM Rishi Sunak is facing intense pressure over his attitude towards China.
‘Absolutely the right thing to have invited China’, says Sunak
Defending his move to invite China to the summit, Sunak said it was the absolute right thing to have invited the Chinese representatives.
“And with regard to China, look, I can’t say with 100 per cent certainty that China will be there, but I do believe that it’s absolutely the right thing to have invited them,” he said.
China should not be invited to the UK’s AI Summit at Bletchley Park.
We should be working with our allies, not those seeking to subvert freedom and democracy.
I have written to the Prime Minister requesting that the invitation be rescinded.👇 pic.twitter.com/tQDe2P3kak
— Liz Truss (@trussliz) October 26, 2023
“China is unquestionably the world’s second AI power behind the U.S., that’s just a fact when you look at the amount of research, investment and activity that’s happening there, and AI doesn’t respect borders,” he added.
(With inputs from agencies)
You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.
