News / Foreign Policy

Former MI6 Chief Alex Younger depicts China as 'generational threat' and Russia as 'implacably hostile'

Tuesday, 16 March 2021 7:11 PM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 16 March 2021 7:11 PM ]

Alex Younger is keen to assume the role of a foreign policy hawk

Alex Younger, the former Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service (better known as MI6) has used the excitement generated by the publication of the government's long-awaited Integrated Review of Security, Defense, Development and Foreign Policy, to express his trenchant views on China and Russia.

Speaking just ahead of the publication of the review, Younger described China as the “generational threat” whilst depicting Russia as “implacably hostile” to the UK.

Former British diplomat and MI6 agent accused of being China ‘spy’

A former British diplomat with long experience at working at the heart of EU institutions has been accused of spying for China.

Younger, who was Chief of MI6 from November 2014 to September 2020, warned the UK’s relationship with Beijing may become more strained, before adding that there would be an “ideological divergence” between UK and China in the future.

Incoming MI6 Chief has strong diplomatic and intellignece background

In the latest leadership rotation in the British security and intelligence apparatus Richard Moore has been named as the incoming chief of MI6.

He also stressed that the Covid-19 pandemic had “closed the gap” between the two countries, thus putting pressure on the UK to restore its technological and scientific lead.

Speaking to the BBC Radio 4’s Today program, Younger pointed to China’s growing strength before adding that the UK and its allies need to match that strength as a matter of urgency.

“We need to generate that strength through technological innovations and stewarding our alliances”, Younger explained.

The former MI6 boss said he expects China’s Communist Party “to double down on its ideology in the future”, which will further “generate rivalry and reduce trust” between the two states.

Younger's prognosis on the future relationship with Russia - or more precisely the management of the threat that country supposedly poses to the UK - was also remarkably similar to the contents of the Integrated Review.

In that context, Younger ominously - and perhaps alarmingly - warned that Russia's "modernized" weapons can inflict "enormous" damage to the UK.