UK PM Johnson: Sometimes we need to challenge what China is up to

Britain and the West need to ensure it has balance in its dealings with China and is willing to stand up to Beijing where necessary, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday.

"We have a huge economic relationship with China ... but at the same time we've got to understand that there are areas in which we need to compete, contest and sometimes challenge what China is up to," Johnson said in a news conference at the NATO summit in Madrid.

"What we're doing around the world is making sure that we have that balance and that we stand up to China wherever is necessary."