Observing China is the essential newsletter to understand the UK-PRC relationship, explained in the context of global developments.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), the dates that Sir Keir Starmer, Prime Minister, will visit Beijing next January have not been finalised. It is a significant visit – the United Kingdom (UK) has not sent a prime minister to the PRC since Theresa May in 2018. It is thought that the upcoming visit is a reason as to why Whitehall’s decision about whether or not to approve Beijing’s request for a ‘mega-embassy’ has been delayed yet again, to around the expected time of Sir Keir’s visit (the end of January).
Perhaps His Majesty’s (HM) Government does not want the Prime Minister’s trip to be preceded by vociferous criticisms of the expected approval? More news in the UK-PRC relationship from the past week continues to show that Beijing takes any criticism (or even pointing out wrongdoings) rather personally.
Welcome back to Observing China.