China and Britain sat down for a major round of talks in Beijing on Tuesday and walked away with a clear message that the two countries want a better, closer relationship and that they are actively working to build one.
Britain's Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper arrived in Beijing to meet China's top diplomat, Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
The two then held the China-UK Strategic Dialogue (a formal, high-level meeting between the two governments) for the 11th time, pledging to deepen cooperation and build a long-term partnership. It was a significant moment, not just for what was discussed, but for the fact that it happened at all.
Relations between China and UK cooled from around 2019 onwards - over disagreements on Hong Kong, arguments about Chinese technology companies being allowed into British infrastructure, and overall tensions that came with Britain aligning more closely with the United States on its approach to China. For a while, senior-level meetings like Tuesday's simply were not happening.
They started thawing after Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited China in January - the first visit by a British prime minister in eight years, where President Xi Jinping called for a new chapter in the relationship and both leaders agreed to build a long-term partnership.
Tuesday's meeting in Beijing is the follow-up to that in an effort to turn those promises into a real working agenda.
Wang Yi said the momentum from Starmer's visit had put the relationship on a new and positive path, with cooperation across different areas gradually getting back to normal.
He also pointed out that China's new five-year development plan lines up well with Britain's own economic priorities, and said both countries should take advantage of the opportunities that creates.
He added that China expects Britain to treat Chinese businesses fairly, a reminder that Beijing wants to see action, not just goodwill.
Cooper in response said Britain wanted to work more closely with China on trade, finance, energy, artificial intelligence and climate change.
Both sides also discussed the wars in Iran and Ukraine, and agreed to keep talking and managing their differences through dialogue rather than confrontation.
As for big announcements, there were none on Tuesday. No major trade deal was signed, no landmark agreement was announced.
Business groups in both countries however welcomed the talks as a positive sign, saying that predictability and open dialogue are exactly what companies need when planning long-term investment between the two countries.
For ordinary people in both Britain and China, the practical benefits of a warmer relationship with more trade, more investment, more cooperation on things like clean energy and technology will take time to show up.
But Tuesday's meeting in Beijing is a sign that both governments are headed in the right direction.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 6th of August, covering the latest developments....
A tanker reported hearing two explosions off the coast of Oman while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) centre ...
Firefighters battling a cluster of wildfires near Spokane, Washington, have established primary containment lines around the blazes, but crews are rac...
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 5th of August, covering the latest developments.
U.S. President Donald Trump said there was an "all-day negotiation" on Tuesday with Iran, characterising the talks positively while also threatening to hit Iran "really hard" if a deal was not reached.
Tehran had made plans to strike sites in Ukraine after Kyiv attacked an Iranian cargo ship in the Caspian Sea, a senior Iranian military adviser has said. Iran refrained from taking action after Kyiv said the strike was a mistake, Mohsen Rezaei told the state IRIB TV channel.
U.S. data analytics firm Palantir Technologies has reported a 93 per cent year-on-year jump in second-quarter revenue, even as the company faces continued criticism over its work with Israel's military and allegations linking its technology to the war in Gaza.a.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has dismissed the country's ambassadors to Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and several other countries. The removals came after a speech on Monday in which he said embassies would be judged on their effectiveness in securing weapons for Ukraine.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 6th of August, covering the latest developments.
Firefighters battling a cluster of wildfires near Spokane, Washington, have established primary containment lines around the blazes, but crews are racing to strengthen defences ahead of another spell of hot and dry weather.
FIFA has reaffirmed its support for President Gianni Infantino after a crisis meeting in Morocco over scrapped plans to sell a stake in World Cup commercial rights, while apologising to members over mistakes in handling the process.
New Mexico has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice, accusing the federal agency of withholding unredacted files linked to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and obstructing its renewed criminal investigation.
The Democratic Party's progressive wing has claimed a significant political victory after Abdul El-Sayed narrowly won Michigan's Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate, setting up a closely watched contest against Republican Mike Rogers in November.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment