[Big Arnold]

I imagine so. I expect he's acquired some Chinese from his wife, but not enough to converse with a Chinese diplomat.

[Boiler]

Just saw it on the BBC - he said it in English.

[Kreuzberger]

I hadn't seen the clip although he does apparently speak Mandarin. Thinking more broadly about this kerfuffle, it does rather distract from other stories. Quite what, I cannot fathom.

[Big Arnold]

He was talking to the Chinese in Japanese?

[youngian]

Hunt's schmoozing with the international top guns

[youngian]

Hunt’s bright idea today is to toady up to Kissinger on Twitter

[The Red Arrow]

Hot on the heels of May's "I love Afro-Caribbeans"...

[Big Arnold]

Jeremy Hunt orders global review into persecution of Christians

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/ ... christians

[Andy McDandy]

Standard annual Times bugbear of this time of year. He's still Murdoch's man.

[Bones McCoy]

Jeremy Hunt orders global review into persecution of Christians

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/ ... christians

He will also know that what powers we wield beyond our own borders are all soft powers.
Ones that will be diminished by destructive acts like Brexit and an ever closer Atlantic Bridge cosying to American headcases.

[The Red Arrow]

Maybe he could start in Bethlehem.

[MisterMuncher]

Jeremy Hunt orders global review into persecution of Christians

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/ ... christians

I find myself in a Vimes-esque* conundrum here. One could easily read this as an attempt to win favour with actual Christians without actually doing too much really, at all. One could also think perhaps that whilst he's talking about actual persecution, he's hoping to be heard as if he's talking about how you have to serve poofters in the shops now, and they're letting Muslims use our air, because there's no Right-wing fruit too low hanging for J Hunt.

Maybe he just means what he says, though.

*Being a character of various comedic and dramatic prose of Sir Terry Pratchett. Found himself musing on his own cynicism and general pessimism. Ended on the observation that no matter how bad he got, he never managed to be quite so cynical as life itself.

[cycloon]

The UK ignores the plight of many as per FCO objectives. Can't help but feel this is an easy domestic play.

[MisterMuncher]

It's well seen he's not working on a general policy against all religious persecution, because the figures on who's getting it in the neck, most often and from the most sides wouldn't go over with the Tory base at all.

[Samanfur]

If it was about general religious persecution, he might face calls to listen to people talking about the Tories having an Islamophobia problem.