Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many officials within his Department specialise in China policy, and how many possess professional proficiency in Mandarin Chinese or professional experience of living or working in China.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has many officials specialising in China policy, both within China-focussed teams and across the organisation. This includes the FCDO's Global China Network of officers across the UK and the global network, dedicated to China policy, state threats management, and strategic alignment. The Department also manages a cross-Whitehall cadre of over 800 people with experience of working on China to deepen and broaden expertise and enhance their understanding of current policy. During the five years to September 2026, 58 FCDO staff achieved qualifications in advanced Mandarin at C1 or C2 level (on the Common European Framework Reference scale).