Thank you for contacting me about foreign aid, otherwise known as Official Development Assistance (ODA), to China.
I assure you that no UK overseas development assistance funds forced or coercive abortions in China. The UK proudly defends and promotes universal and comprehensive Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) globally, providing international aid to trusted multilateral organisations such as the International Planned Parenthood Federation and United Nations Population Fund to help deliver this important work and help people, especially women and girls, have control of their bodies. The UK has a stringent due diligence process in our programming and partnerships to ensure our SRHR interventions are rights-based, voluntary, and legal. HM Government (HMG) expects and has full confidence in our partners to align with this approach.
The UK ended its traditional bilateral aid programmes to China in 2011. Our relationship now focuses on cooperation to solve global issues such as climate change and public health.
China’s size and significance on almost every global issue, which will continue to increase in the years ahead, means that China must be part of finding solutions to global challenges. The UK offers expertise and skills to help tackle global issues like climate change, where action by China is critical to reaching our global climate goals, as well as using ODA to fund the ODA eligible portion of the costs of UK diplomatic staff in China, Chinese Chevening scholars and the British Council's ODA eligible activity in China.
All ODA is used in a way that reflects the UK's values and takes account of valid national security concerns, this includes that spent in China. Indeed, the UK only collaborates with China where there is a clear national interest.
I continue to raise concerns regarding China and continue to follow developments closely.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.