Reuters, 21st report: Starmer is expected to visit China next week, and China and the UK will restart the "golden era" of economic and trade dialogue
The British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is reported to plan to visit Beijing next week. If it goes ahead, he will become the first British prime minister to visit China since 2018, aiming to reshape relations with the world's second-largest economy.
During Starmer's visit, the UK and China will restart the "golden era" business dialogue, which is expected to involve executives from both sides. A source said that the UK might announce the visit and Starmer's itinerary as early as Friday.
Reuters exclusive report: British companies such as AstraZeneca, BP, HSBC, InterContinental Hotels Group, Jaguar Land Rover, Rolls-Royce, Schroders Investment Group, and St. Andrew's Franchise Company will join the reorganized "UK-China CEO Council."
In a speech last year, the leader of the UK Labour Party criticized the previous Conservative government for "neglecting its duties," allowing relations with Beijing to deteriorate, and pointed out that French President Emmanuel Macron has visited China twice since 2018, while German leaders have visited four times.
Comment: Starmer's planned visit to China marks an important breakthrough in Sino-British economic and trade relations after eight years, and it is also a clear signal that the Labour government is correcting the Conservative government's policy toward China and returning to practical cooperation. The UK's approval of the new Chinese embassy's approval, the restructuring of the UK-China CEO Council, and the practical cooperation achievements at the previous investment and trade fair show its urgent desire to solve domestic economic difficulties by relying on the Chinese market.
Starmer's mention of the frequency of visits by French and German leaders to China actually reveals the anxiety of the UK in the European competition for China's economic and trade relations — when France and Germany continue to deepen their industrial and trade ties with China, the hardline stance of the Conservative government ultimately made the UK miss out on the development dividends of the Chinese market. The fact that British companies such as AstraZeneca, HSBC, and Jaguar Land Rover are gathering to participate in the dialogue also confirms the strong demand of the British business community for Sino-British cooperation, and consensus between the government and enterprises has become the core driving force for the recovery of bilateral relations.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1854979137618951/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.