FOI - Mayor Johnson relationship with China [Oct 2022]

Your request 

Information relating to Boris Johnson's time as Mayor (2008-2016) with relation to China and Chinese companies:

• a list of meetings Boris Johnson held with Chinese officials while in office, broken down year by year, and who he was meeting
• list of Chinese companies Boris Johnson met with in his official position as Mayor
• the increase in Chinese firms investing in London between 2008 to 2016
• any individuals who worked directly with Boris Johnson in the Mayor's office who then began working for Chinese companies (such as Huawei)
• briefing notes given to Boris Johnson in his capacity as Mayor prior to his visits to China in 2008 and 2013.

Our response

The GLA no longer holds copies of the original diaries. However, we have collated the attached record based on information previously released by the GLA under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 at different times.

We do not hold information relating to the subsequent employment of former GLA employees. 

You may be able to access the declarations of interest of political appointees who have gone onto work elsewhere in the public sector.

Unfortunately, from your request it is not clear what information you are seeking regarding the increase in Chinese firms investing in London between 2008 to 2016. I have checked with our Economics team and they are unaware of any source data.

There are some archived press releases from that time which you may find useful.

We do not hold a record of the briefing notes that were given to Boris Johnson in his capacity as Mayor prior to his visits to China in 2008 and 2013. We do hold draft versions of briefing notes that were written by GLA officers in relation to the visit to China in 2013, but we cannot confirm whether these were final versions given to the Mayor and so to release these could be misleading.

We also consider that this information is exempt from disclosure under Section 27(1) of the Freedom of Information Act - International relations. Section 27 (1) of the Act states that information is exempt if its disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice: 

(a) relations between the United Kingdom and any other State,

(b) relations between the United Kingdom and any international organisation or
international court,

(c) the interests of the United Kingdom abroad, or

(d) the promotion or protection by the United Kingdom of its interests abroad.

ICO guidance acknowledges that: 

“differences in culture and social customs, religion and the type of government of other 
states will be relevant. Disclosing potentially controversial information about one state 
may not have any material impact on international relations, but disclosing relatively 
bland information about a different state may have a significant impact”.

When providing briefing to the Mayor on international relations, and particularly when the Mayor is undertaking international visits to promote London’s and the UK’s interests overseas, the GLA is reliant on engaging in open, honest and frank discussions with a wide variety of partners and stakeholders in other states. It is felt that releasing briefings which contain information obtained through that engagement, particularly when it is difficult to assess the extent of its material impact, might prevent partners and stakeholders from being open and honest with us in the future.

For example, this may prevent them sharing information and material with us, not only written material but also advice and perspectives given verbally. 

Disclosure of information provided to the GLA in this way could therefore have a wider impact on the GLA’s ability to engage with partners and stakeholders in other states both now and in the future, should past briefings of this nature be disclosed.

It is accepted that there is a public interest in a greater understanding of UK foreign relations and the information could also provide the public with a better understanding of Britain's conduct overseas. There is also a public interest in promoting 
accountability and transparency by public authorities on matters relating to the UK. 

However, we do not consider it within the public interest to disclose information which would be prejudicial to the current relationship between London, the UK and any other state and reduce co-operation between states in future.

We have responded to previous requests relating to this trip and those responses are attached. Hopefully they allow you to gain a better understanding on the visit and who the delegation met with. 

If you have any further questions relating to this matter, please contact us, quoting
reference MGLA121021-5094.