Taipei, Aug 29: Britain’s top diplomat, James Cleverly, is set to visit China on Wednesday, as the two countries attempt to shore up frayed ties. It will be the first trip by a UK foreign secretary to China in more than five years. Both countries confirmed the long-awaited trip on Tuesday.
“The two sides will have in-depth communication on Sino-British relations and international and regional issues of common concern,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said.
“We hope the British side will work with us to uphold the spirit of mutual respect, deepen exchanges, enhance mutual understanding and promote the stable development of Sino-British relations.”
Cleverly’s visit is an attempt to stabilise China-Britain ties, which have sunk over the decades.
The countries disagree over issues such as Beijing’s curbing of civil freedoms in Hong Kong, a former British colony, alleged human rights abuses in the Xinjiang region, China’s support for Russia and Britain’s close security ties with the United States.
Cleverly has said he would raise issues such as Xinjiang and Hong Kong with the Chinese government. Britain has stressed it must engage with Beijing given China’s global significance, but Cleverly said Chinese influence comes with responsibility on the global stage.
“That responsibility means China fulfilling its international commitments and obligations,” he said.
Britain’s governing Conservative party is split over how tough a line to take with Beijing. Critics had accused former Prime Minister Boris Johnson – a self-declared “Sinophile” – of prioritising trade ties and not taking Chinese threats to national security seriously enough.
Conservative lawmaker and former party leader Iain Duncan Smith, an outspoken critic of the Chinese Communist Party, said Cleverly’s visit was the latest demonstration of “Project Kowtow.”
“The problem with our position right now is it smells terribly of appeasement. It’s like we want more business, therefore we don’t want to upset the Chinese too much,” he said.
Smith was one of five British MPs who were sanctioned by China in 2021. They are barred from entering mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau and from doing business with Chinese citizens. (AP)
