The United Kingdom and China must speak candidly about their differences, as well as to strengthen economic ties and work together on global issues, according to a statement from UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Euractiv reported.
Starmer’s office revealed that during a recent phone call, the two leaders talked about areas for co-operation, such as trade, the economy, and education. They agreed that, as permanent members of the UN Security Council, they must work closely together on issues of global security and climate change.
In response, China urged the UK to adopt an objective and rational view of China, as stated by Xi. Chinese state media indicated that the UK initiated the conversation. The official Chinese news agency Xinhua reported that the Chinese leader congratulated the Labour Party leader on his election victory in July.
China places significant importance on the UK’s wish for greater engagement and dialogue, and will continue to maintain exchanges with the UK at all levels, stated the Chinese embassy in London.
The embassy stated that Starmer told Xi that there had been no changes in the UK’s policy towards Taiwan, despite the presence of an office in Taipei that promotes the development of trade and educational ties and assists travellers. Beijing claims Taiwan as its own territory, the position that the island’s government strongly opposes.
The UK government plans to conduct an audit of its relations with China to understand and respond to the challenges and opportunities posed by Beijing. China is ready to engage in “dialogue on an equal footing, on the basis of mutual respect… (to) enhance understanding and mutual trust,” Xinhua quoted Xi.
The statement released by the office of Starmer indicated that the prime minister hoped “the leaders would be able to have open, frank and honest discussions to address and understand areas of disagreement when necessary, such as Hong Kong, Russia’s war in Ukraine and human rights.”
In recent years, UK-China relations have become increasingly strained, largely due to issues surrounding Hong Kong, British allegations of human rights abuses, and worries about the role of Chinese companies in managing essential infrastructure. In 2022, the then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, representing the Conservative Party, declared that the “golden era” of UK-China relations had come to an end.
