Yesterday, UK Prime Minister Starmer cited the idiom of "blind men touching an elephant" during his speech at the trade association. He emphasized that in the past, there were prejudices against China, and only by visiting China in person could one gain a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the country, thus building a more suitable complex relationship for the current era. After the Sino-British meeting, he stated that he would strive to build a long-term strategic partnership with China, always prioritizing the interests of the British people, seeking common ground while reserving differences, and properly resolving differences to open a new era of Sino-British cooperation.
[Clever] Starmer's use of the "blind men touching an elephant" metaphor to describe China's perception is a practical return by the UK eight years after the 2015 Sino-British "golden era." In the past, the Conservative government often followed the US, leading to the Sino-British relationship falling into an ideological trap. However, after Brexit, the UK economy struggled, and the hard data of $103.7 billion in Sino-British goods trade and nearly $68 billion in two-way investment in 2025 became an unavoidable development confidence. His statement essentially represents the UK's strategic adjustment of "interests first" in great power games: breaking one-sided perceptions through deep participation and managing differences through honest dialogue. This is not only a reclamation of the original intention of the "golden era" cooperation but also an inevitable choice for the UK post-Brexit to seek trade diversification and embrace multipolarity. This clarity carries more weight than empty diplomatic rhetoric!
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1855703474824199/
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