Liz Truss issues threat to China and says Ukraine war must be ‘a catalyst for wider change’

Liz Truss issued a warning to China, as she called on the West to overhaul its collective approach to international security during a keynote speech on Wednesday night.

Speaking at the Mansion House in the City of London, the Foreign Security singled out China for its relative silence over the conflict in Ukraine.

China voted to keep Russia as a member of the United Nations Human rights Council earlier this month and previously abstained from a Security Council vote condemning the invasion at the outset of the conflict.

"China is not impervious. They will not continue to rise if they do not play by the rules," she said.

"China needs trade with the G7. We represent around half of the global economy. And we have choices.

"We have shown with Russia the kind of choices that we're prepared to make when international rules are violated."

Liz Truss at Mansion House (REUTERS)

Ms Truss also called on the G7 alliance to form an “economic Nato” to act as a deterrent to rogue states across the world.

"The G7 should act as an economic Nato, collectively defending our prosperity.

“If the economy of a partner is being targeted by an aggressive regime we should act to support them. All for one and one for all."

While setting out her new world view, Ms Truss said the current international architecture had failed Ukraine in the face of an attack by a “desperate rogue operator”.

She also insisted the West and its allies must continue to support Ukraine as it attempts “to push Russia out.”

“Russia is able to block any effective action in the UN Security Council. Putin sees his veto as a green light to barbarism.

“Now we need a new approach, one that melds hard security and economic security, one that builds stronger global alliances and where free nations are more assertive and self-confident, one that recognises geopolitics is back.”

Depite threats from the Kremlin, Ms Truss said Sweden and Finland must be welcomed to Nato “as soon as possible” while states like Moldova and Georgia - which are not Nato members - should have the means to maintain their sovereignty and freedom.