By Sanxuan

It's no surprise that the UK Prime Minister Starmer is about to visit China tomorrow.

If it goes through, this will be the first visit by a UK Prime Minister in eight years. As Starmer put it, his predecessors were so incompetent that they could have waited eight years without coming to China, even though China is so important to the UK.

UK Prime Minister Starmer

To show sincerity, the UK government has finally approved the project for the new Chinese embassy, which had also been delayed for eight years. This shows that previous Conservative governments were not very friendly towards China, leading to such a bad relationship between China and the UK over the past eight years.

Certainly, this does not mean that the Labour government is particularly friendly towards China. Starmer has been in power for one and a half years, and if he really wanted to visit China urgently, there would be no need to wait until now. It's simply because the UK-US relationship has encountered problems, prompting Starmer to come to China for cooperation.

After Trump came to power last year, he immediately gave Western allies like the UK a shock, imposing tariffs and withdrawing from NATO, greatly undermining the foundation of the transatlantic alliance.

Compared with other European countries, the UK's alliance with the US is closer. Starmer originally thought Trump would give him a break, but because the Labour Party had taken the wrong side in the US election, and Trump is not someone with a broad heart, the UK naturally couldn't avoid the consequences.

Starmer and Trump

Under the confusing operations of previous British governments, especially the Truss government, the UK economy was already severely damaged. Now, the US is also taking advantage, further worsening the situation.

Seeing that other Western allies gained real benefits after visiting China, Starmer couldn't sit still anymore. He must visit China as soon as possible. After dragging for eight years, he can't afford to delay any longer.

However, unlike Carney, Starmer doesn't support Carney's statement after visiting China to "break away" from the US. His reason is that the UK doesn't need to take sides. He is confident that he can maintain good relations with both China and the US.

Carney was forced into a corner by Trump and had no choice but to take desperate measures. Moreover, Canada has indeed gained a lot, and the results of the China-Canada talks are gradually being implemented, so there's no need to continue groveling before the US.

Canadian Prime Minister Carney

Additionally, Trump is eyeing Canada's territory. If Carney continues to retreat, it might one day be reduced to a "governor." Therefore, whether in the economic and trade field or in security and defense, the farther away from the US, the better.

The UK is different. The special relationship between the US and the UK is well known. Even if Trump can cause trouble, he only has a four-year term. When the next president takes office, whether it's the Democrats or Republicans, as long as it's not MAGA, it's likely that the relationship with the UK will be repaired again.

Moreover, the UK relies more deeply on the US. If it completely offends Trump, the UK may not be able to handle it. Whether Starmer can remain in the position of prime minister is still uncertain.

The current tense relationship between the US and Europe is not entirely bad for the UK. The UK has always liked to play the game of continental balance. Trump's aggressive actions against Europe are something the UK is happy to see, and it can even take the opportunity to improve relations with Europe, creating an atmosphere of sharing hardships with Europe.

Britain has融入ed Europe again

Nevertheless, Starmer hasn't forgotten the main issue. On the eve of his visit to China, he once again emphasized that it's not wise to bury one's head in the sand and ignore China. The Chinese market holds great opportunities, and British companies must seize them well.

Whether they can grasp it depends on how much sincerity the UK has. China is not opposed to helping Western countries, but the premise is that China also gains some benefits.

Original: toutiao.com/article/7599865458179572276/

Statement: The article represents the personal views of the author.