Why on earth has Jeremy Hunt gone to China?

There has been plenty of coverage so far today of David Cameron’s trip to China. Many have questioned his u-turn on the Dalai Lama (evidently worrying about self-deeper inaction and human rights is something you’ve got to junk to win the “global race”). Others have asked why “Cameron’s cronies” including an ex-staffer, a Tory donor and his father-in-law are on the trip.

But there’s another attendee who’s worth noting on Cameron’s Beijing jaunt – why has the Health Secretary gone to China?

Does he have something to sell to China perhaps? Living out some sort of Nixon fantasy? Or maybe he just wants to get his use out of the £2500 worth of Mandarin lessons that he charged to the Taxpayer?

He certainly seems like an odd person to have on a trade mission – especially when the NHS is in the midst of a winter A&E squeeze. Labour’s Shadow Health Minister Andrew Gwynne has caused him of “running thousands of miles in the other direction”.

And there seems to be no rational explanation for his attendance on the trip? Did he win the Cabinet lucky dip?

Why on earth has Jeremy Hunt gone to China?