Why Labour’s Chagos handover is a win for China – and a disaster for the ecosystem

John Flesher, the deputy director of the Conservative Environment Network, agrees. “Many will rightly fear China’s clear desire to exploit fishing resources in large parts of the world,” he says. “Given Mauritius’ close relationship with China, the worry is you end up in a situation where China and others are given access to the waters around the Chagos Islands. This is a very special place, with some of the largest coral reefs in the world. It’s not some random bit of ocean; it’s a really pristine part of the marine environment.” 

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