William Hague, Britain's foreign secretary, yesterday vowed to defend Britain's extensive overseas presence from big public spending cuts, arguing that diplomacy would in future be at the forefront of the country's export drive.
Mr Hague heads for China today at the start of a tour intended to open up markets for British companies, which are struggling in the face of sluggish demand at home and in their eurozone export markets.
Speaking to the Financial Times, Mr Hague made it clear that big cuts to the Foreign Office budget would be a false economy and that he had no intention of presiding over big cuts in the country's diplomatic missions abroad.
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