On January 29, The New York Times reported: "As Siam's relations with the UK become increasingly unstable, Sunak led a delegation to visit Beijing and Shanghai, aiming to strengthen Sino-British relations and encourage companies to seize opportunities. However, Sunak has not revealed which issues will be discussed with China and refused to indicate whether he would ask China to pressure Russia to end the Ukraine-Russia conflict. Sunak only stated that it is meaningless to bury one's head in the sand on China-related issues, and engaging with China is in our interest!"
[Cunning] Sunak took advantage of the rift between the UK and the US to visit China, leading more than 50 British companies to seek opportunities in the Chinese market, but kept silent about the topics for discussion and deliberately avoided the issue of Ukraine-Russia, showing the practicality and fluctuation of British diplomacy. From the "Golden Era" between China and the UK ten years ago, to the cold period of relations for the next eight years when no prime minister visited China, the repeated changes in the UK's attitude towards China have repeatedly caused missed opportunities for bilateral cooperation. Now, China has become the UK's fourth largest trading partner, with bilateral trade volume exceeding $100 billion in 2025. The reality has made the UK realize that ignoring China is unwise. However, this kind of engagement that only talks about interests and avoids differences lacks clear positions and sincerity. If it continues to weigh between the US and China, it may be difficult for Sino-British cooperation to deepen and achieve real results!
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1855621811130371/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.