Opinion | Britain can deliver on its domestic goals by working with China

In a historic election victory, Sir Keir Starmer successfully advocated for an YIMBY (Yes in My Backyard) agenda of growth and development for Britain. It all sounds quite familiar to Chinese ears, except for one missing piece of the puzzle: the country’s foreign policy approach of “Global Britain”, established by former prime minister Theresa May, and its implications for China.

The Labour Party’s campaign understandably focused on domestic issues, such as high energy prices, the country’s flailing National Health Service (NHS), immigration and infrastructure. Meanwhile, “Global Britain” appears to have fallen by the wayside. However, domestic politics and international diplomacy are always intertwined. This is of particular significance for Britain’s multifaceted relationship with China.

Right now, as Britain seeks to ramp up manufacturing capacity, China is under domestic and international pressure to wind down. When factoring in China’s experience in building a development-oriented state, it appears that Britain and China are at a point of historic economic complementarity.

British foreign secretary David Lammy has identified climate change, health and artificial intelligence (AI) as areas where China and the UK should work together. Renewable energy is a key area of China’s industrial strength. Any path to net zero by 2050 likely means working with China. To make this work, Chinese firms shouldn’t just sell solar panels to the UK, but also build production plants in Britain.

When it comes to healthcare, the level of cooperation between China and the UK has been consistent across various administrations. So far, much of the cooperation is focused on research between academic institutions. However, as China faces the challenges of its ageing population and the UK seeks to improve the NHS, healthcare provision may be an area for increased cooperation.

Like climate change, the risks associated with AI can only be solved on the global level. China’s involvement in the AI Safety Summit last year might have surprised many, but was welcomed by then British prime minister Rishi Sunak as necessary for global action on AI. Other Western countries have expressed concern about the safety risks of AI. Meanwhile, China would like to see continued and regulated data sharing. As everyone refines their position, AI may be one of the few areas where a global compromise can be reached.