Published in The Herald on Sunday April 21, 2024, unedited. I wrote this after reading Neil Mackay’s Herald article, “SNP MP targeted by Chinese spies warns Scot Gov puts nation at risk with over-reliance on Beijing.” In it, McDonald’s oozes self importance, believing he is the target of spies from Beijing. He also obsesses about Chinese students at Scottish universities and Chinese wind turbines being built in Scotland. The solution seems obvious to me - I wonder why it doesn’t to Mr. McDonald.
I’m sick and tired of the anti-China rhetoric and fear coming from politicians, and it’s really disappointing to see the SNP and Scottish Greens join in on the fear. China is not a bad country, in fact, it’s a fantastic country and we should embrace and support it!
Yes it is more likely that Scotland is at risk of interference on many levels from less than democratic regimes which the English government aligns itself with.
However China is not a peace loving equal country, it's no better than any other country on human rights, for their own people or for example the oppression of the Uyghurs. China is definitely not squeaky clean, like so many or even most countries, but S McDonald like all of us are no doubt being watched by all sorts of nefarious oppressive pretendy democratic countries etc, especially where land and/or resources are for the taking. Here is a link hope ok to post, about China, good and bad.
I’m sick and tired of the anti-China rhetoric and fear coming from politicians, and it’s really disappointing to see the SNP and Scottish Greens join in on the fear. China is not a bad country, in fact, it’s a fantastic country and we should embrace and support it!
Yes it is more likely that Scotland is at risk of interference on many levels from less than democratic regimes which the English government aligns itself with.
However China is not a peace loving equal country, it's no better than any other country on human rights, for their own people or for example the oppression of the Uyghurs. China is definitely not squeaky clean, like so many or even most countries, but S McDonald like all of us are no doubt being watched by all sorts of nefarious oppressive pretendy democratic countries etc, especially where land and/or resources are for the taking. Here is a link hope ok to post, about China, good and bad.
https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/asia-and-the-pacific/east-asia/china/report-china/