Editorial | Phone call by UK PM Kier Starmer to Xi Jinping marks positive start for ties
Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s desire to engage with China has been met with cautious optimism at a time of economic and geopolitical challenges
The landslide election victory for Britain’s Labour Party last month sparked cautious optimism of a reset in the country’s fractious relations with China. It is still early days and many uncertainties remain.
But the recent telephone call between President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Keir Starmer is an initial step.
The call was the first between the leaders of the two nations since 2022. Xi congratulated Starmer on his election victory. The prime minister was complimentary about China’s Olympics success. So far, so good.
It is significant that Starmer initiated the call, demonstrating a desire to engage with Beijing. Xi was said to have attached great importance to Britain’s interest in stepping up dialogue.
The president expressed a willingness to maintain exchanges at all levels to promote “stable and far-reaching” relations.
The positive tone makes a welcome change from the strongly worded rhetoric often exchanged between the two countries in recent years.
But many potential stumbling blocks remain, from developments in Hong Kong to the war in Ukraine. Progress, if achieved, is unlikely to be linear. There will be ups and downs.
