Chinese foreign minister comes to London
More British ministers to visit PRC; Beijing expands its overseas space programme
Observing China is the essential newsletter to understand the UK-PRC relationship, explained in the context of global developments.
Wang Yi, Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), is visiting the United Kingdom (UK) today to resume the first UK-China Strategic Dialogue since 2018 with David Lammy, his British counterpart.
The dialogue is essentially a platform where senior British and Chinese officials set out regular meetings to discuss a variety of key topics in the bilateral relationship, spanning trade, security and international affairs. The recent UK-China Economic and Financial Dialogue, under the auspices of which Rachel Reeves, Chancellor of the Exchequer, travelled to the PRC, is a key component of the overall UK-China Strategic Dialogue.
If this is the first you’re hearing about Wang’s visit today, it’s because the confirmed date of the visit barely featured in any British media. There has been no government press release either. It was a little strange for me to find out about it from a Chinese news outlet. The only non-Chinese media outlet to report promptly on the confirmed date of the visit was Reuters.
This signals that His Majesty’s (HM) Government does not want to draw attention to Wang’s visit and is perhaps even a little embarrassed by it. Reportedly, Wang is arriving at Lammy’s invitation. Why invite a high-level official if you’re clearly aware of its controversy?
The South China Morning Post reports that Jonathan Reynolds, Business Secretary, is due to visit the PRC later this year to resume the UK-China Joint Economic and Trade Commission. Meanwhile, according to Politico, Sir Keir Starmer, Prime Minister and Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, will also pay a visit to the PRC. With the trip of Rachel Reeves completed, it is clear that HM Government is preparing for a multifaceted relationship with the PRC.
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