MP Warns Against Handing Over Chagos Islands to China-Aligned Mauritius

An advocacy group warned that ceding the territory would ‘play into the hands’ of Britain’s adversaries, while a prominent think tank warned against the move.

MP Daniel Kawczynski speaks during the "From The Depths Zabinski Awards" ceremony, honoring non-Jews who saved Jews during the Holocaust and WWII, in Warsaw, on Sept. 18, 2017. Wojtek Radwanski/AFP via Getty Images

A Conservative MP has spoken out against potential plans to cede sovereignty of the Chagos Islands, including the strategically vital Diego Garcia military base, to Mauritius, a move he sees as aligning with China’s interests.

The Chagos Archipelago, located in the central Indian Ocean, comprises over a thousand islands, with Diego Garcia hosting a vital U.S.–UK joint military facility. The UK has leased use of the base to the United States until 2036.