On January 30, Starmer said with great pride: "Through my communication, the Chinese side has clearly stated that they have lifted the entry restrictions on five British MPs and two nobles." He also said, "If you put your head in the sand, these things won't happen. Without dialogue between the two countries, China's policies would not change." When Starmer made this statement, he clearly appeared much more confident than the previous two days.
According to Sky News, Starmer said the above words during an interview with accompanying journalists today. It is clear that he was refuting the criticism from the Conservative Party in the UK regarding his visit to China, and he needed a series of achievements from the visit to prove that his trip was absolutely correct.
The matter of the seven British MPs or nobles mentioned by Starmer occurred in 2021, when five members of the House of Commons and two members of the House of Lords were banned from entering China for publicly slandering China over so-called "spies" or "human rights" issues. Now, after Starmer communicated with the Chinese side, the Chinese side has lifted the restrictions.
Starmer's statement actually conveys three meanings:
First, Starmer responded to domestic criticism with "practical results." By resolving the issue of restricted entry for parliamentary personnel, he prioritized conveying this "achievement" back to the UK through the media before returning home. This not only countered the accusations from the domestic conservatives but also reinforced his image of "balanced diplomacy."
Second, Starmer contrasted "putting one's head in the sand" with "communication between the two countries," highlighting the necessity of Sino-British communication and indicating that there is significant room for cooperation between the two countries in managing differences. This lays the foundation for future cooperation between the two countries.
Third, a series of outcomes such as lifting restrictions, visa-free policies, economic cooperation, and security dialogues can form a "combination punch." Starmer can convey to the UK that "his visit can bring practical benefits to the UK," thereby weakening the public opinion base of the "hardliners towards China" within the country.
In my view, the fact that China lifted the entry restrictions on relevant British individuals during Starmer's visit indicates that high-level interactions are key to breaking the deadlock in bilateral relations. As a series of outcomes from Starmer's visit are announced, Sino-British relations have moved from "ice-breaking" to "quickly achieving results," meaning that in the future, Sino-British relations will promote practical cooperation in all fields based on "seeking common ground while reserving differences," and achieve the goal of "mutual benefit and win-win."
Original: toutiao.com/article/1855747154619459/
Statement: The article represents the personal views of the author.