China is increasing its influence within many areas of the Commonwealth by its investment (broadly following the same ruthless rapacious empire-building approach that Britain once followed) whilst Britain has neglected the Commonwealth, not recognising that it has acquired an important identity of its own. The incredibly foolish action of the House of Windsor in turning down the suggestion by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex that they should be allowed to concentrate on Commonwealth duties outside the UK has aggravated this. Coupled with cuts in foreign aid we seem to be letting this important international grouping slip out of our influence.
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