French Newspaper Summary: The UK Hopes to Establish a "Pragmatic Partnership" with China
UK Prime Minister Starmer visited Beijing, hoping to establish a "pragmatic partnership" with China, and the two countries are trying to reach a services trade agreement.
The UK seeks to get closer to China again
UK Prime Minister's visit to Beijing has attracted the attention of French media. "Le Figaro" and "Les Echos" have each published articles, reporting and analyzing from different angles Starmer's recent trip to Beijing.
The special correspondent of "Le Figaro" in London conducted an in-depth analysis of the UK Prime Minister's visit to China, focusing on whether and how the UK is willing to bear the political cost of getting closer to China in an era where Trump has disrupted the international order.
The reporter pointed out that in the context of the US President's impact on alliances, the UK is trying to readjust its policy toward China. Prime Minister Starmer's visit to China was the first by a British prime minister in eight years, and before departing, he expressed his hope to establish a "pragmatic partnership" with China after years of turbulent relations.
The core goal of this visit is economic cooperation: China is the UK's third largest trading partner. During the visit, the UK secured a 30-day visa-free entry, reduced tariffs on whisky exports, and pushed for broader trade and investment cooperation.
The article points out that Trump's disruption of traditional alliance relationships has instead made China appear more respected on the international stage, and has given China more stable partners. Recent efforts by France, Canada, and the UK to strengthen their engagement with China are the best examples.
China and the UK are working to reach a services trade agreement
"Les Echos" focused on how the UK can gain economic returns from China through services trade and investment. The report stated that in the context of the unpredictable policies of the US President Trump, the UK is re-evaluating its relationship with China. The UK Prime Minister's visit to Beijing proposed that UK-China relations should be more "mature and complex," promoting pragmatic cooperation with China without angering the United States.
The focus of this visit was on the economic and trade sector. The two countries decided to launch a feasibility study to lay the groundwork for future negotiations on a services trade agreement, and first establish a "partnership" to simplify the business environment in the other party's market. London hopes that this agreement will establish clear and legally binding rules for British companies operating in China.
China holds significant and growing value for the UK in terms of services trade and investment. Both sides have made specific progress in trade facilitation, but they remain cautious about cooperation in sensitive areas.
However, there is still a significant imbalance in the trade structure between the two countries: the annual two-way trade between the UK and China is approximately £103 billion, with a huge deficit in the UK's trade with China.
Source: rfi
Original: toutiao.com/article/1855797784286218/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author alone.