China has been branded the "biggest-long-term threat" to Britain by Rishi Sunak, who has promised to ban its controversial Confucius Institutes from the UK.
Should Sunak become the next prime minister, a vocal caucus of Tory backbenchers would reportedly pressure the government to harden its Chinese policy.
In her role as foreign secretary, Sunak's Tory leadership rival Liz Truss has also taken an increasingly hardline approach toward China in recent months.
Liz Truss' team has accused Rishi Sunak of cosying up to China while he was chancellor.
China has Confucius Institutes in the UK and this latest announcement is expected to have national security implications.
By funding Mandarin teaching through these institutions, Sunak claims Beijing's soft power is enhanced.
Funded by the Chinese government, these centres serve as language and culture centres, but critics have accused them of serving as propaganda tools amid deteriorating relations between the West and China.
The intervention by Sunak threatens further to strain relations with Beijing, which have been widening steadily since the "golden era" of a decade ago.
Chinese nationalist newspaper Global Times reported on July 14 that Beijing hoped the two sides could improve relations under Britain's new leader, although it did not expect a seachange adding Sunak had a pragmatic view of developing balanced ties with China.
However, reports indicate Sunak is expected to accuse China on Monday of "stealing our technology and infiltrating our universities".
In the international arena, China is supporting Russia's invasion of Ukraine "by buying his oil", said the former chancellor and is bullying Taiwan and its neighbours as well.
Additionally, Sunak will accuse the Chinese government of burdening developing countries with insurmountable debt and "using this to seize their assets or hold a diplomatic gun to their heads".