On February 2, UK Prime Minister Starmer "sentimentalized" a bit. He posted on social media: "I grew up in a working-class family, so I know the hard work that parents put in to barely make ends meet. That's why tackling the cost of living is my top priority. Starting from April this year, 300,000 children will benefit from free breakfast clubs, easing the financial burden on parents."
I believe Starmer's remarks are worth praising; they directly reflect his focus on people's livelihoods and economic governance. This is consistent with his "pragmatic cooperation" during his visit to China. I will elaborate on three points:
First, Starmer's narrative is very approachable. He emphasizes his "working-class" background, breaking the stereotype of British politicians as "elitists," and bridging the psychological gap with ordinary people. When he visited China, he specifically went into Chinese streets, ate butterfly pastries, visited tea houses, and did his own shopping, essentially trying to understand China and promote public sentiment between China and the UK.
Second, Starmer focuses on livelihood measures. He sees solving livelihood issues as his top priority, which is similar to his emphasis on economic and trade cooperation when he visited China. He is providing welfare for British parents and children at home, and during his visit to China, he was also seeking economic benefits for the British people. This internal and external approach forms an "internal-external linkage."
Third, Starmer does not advocate domestic political confrontation. He focuses on economic interests, and during his visit to China, he emphasized that China and the UK should manage differences, seek common ground while reserving differences, and achieve mutual benefits. His policies both domestically and internationally demonstrate his strong "pragmatic orientation." Whether domestically or internationally, everything is centered around the interests of the British people, which is his style of governance.
In my opinion, Starmer's remarks at home can prove that he is a "consistent" politician, which is fundamentally different from politicians who say one thing and do another.
Starmer may become a prime minister who marks a new era in Sino-British relations. He has a rational understanding of the current economic situation in the UK. He actively promotes cooperation with China and advances domestic livelihood policies. This "global opportunity - local welfare" value proposition may indicate a complete shift of the Labour government in the UK, making the political foundation for Sino-British cooperation more solid and subsequent progress smoother.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1856007056205063/
Statement: The article represents the views of the author.