Lammy visit to China first sign of a thaw in Sino-British relations
UK foreign secretary’s brief stops in Beijing and Shanghai can open door to a fresh, more stable engagement between trade partners
The brief visit by Britain’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy to China earlier this month marked another small but significant step in moves towards a better, more constructive relationship between the two countries.
This was only the second time in six years the UK had sent a foreign secretary to China and it was the first since the Labour Party won a general election in July.
The visit to Beijing and Shanghai came at a critical time. Relations between the two countries have long been strained. But the new British government is devising its own China strategy and is keen to re-engage.
Lammy met his counterpart Wang Yi and Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang. There were no announcements of trade deals or policy shifts. That was to be expected as the purpose of the trip was to get the ball rolling.
Both sides spoke in positive terms about the constructive nature of the talks. A pragmatic approach is being adopted, acknowledging differences but focusing on areas where the two countries can cooperate.
These range from climate change and finance to healthcare, education and technology.
The desire to drive trade and investment is in the interests of both sides. The British government is prioritising economic growth. So it is no surprise Lammy’s itinerary took in Shanghai, where he met the mayor and members of the UK business community. Two-thirds of British companies on the mainland are based in Shanghai.
