Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Israeli media platform: The Degel HaTorah party, which has four members in the Knesset, announces its withdrawal from Netanyahu's cabinet.
Local Syrian sources: The raids targeted the road between the village of Al-Mazra'a and the city of Sweida, where forces and factions affiliated with the Syrian Ministry of Defense are advancing.
Local Syrian sources: New raids carried out by Israeli warplanes targeted vehicles and gatherings of military factions affiliated with the new Syrian Ministry of Defense.
Local Syrian sources: Israeli raids target, for the third time, gatherings of Syrian Defense Forces military factions in the southern countryside of Sweida.
The Ministry of Health in Gaza: Gaza Strip hospitals received 120 martyrs and 557 wounded in the past 24 hours.
The Israeli Walla! website: We are running out of stockpiles, our forces are exhausted, and the lives of the captives are in danger. It is time for a ceasefire deal in Gaza.
Several wounded in an Israeli bombardment of a tent in al-Mawasi, south of Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli media: Three wounded, three killed in an ongoing operation in the Gaza Strip.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in southern Lebanon: Israeli artillery shelling targets the outskirts of the town of Shebaa
Al-Qassam Brigades: The targeting took place at the intersection of 'Street 5' with the western line north of Khan Younis

Lammy aims for high-level engagement in planned visit to China

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 10 Aug 2024 13:30
  • 2 Shares
4 Min Read

Unlike its fellow European allies, the UK's relationship with China is fragmented due to the lack of engagement and progress between the two nations.

Listen
  • x
  • David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, during the recent NATO summit in Washington D.C., July 10, 2024. (AFP)
    David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, during the recent NATO summit in Washington D.C., July 10, 2024. (AFP)

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy is planning to visit China in September to resume high-level engagement between the two countries, falling within his first 100 days in office.

The Labour politician met with China's Foreign Secretary Wang Yi in the meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations last month in Laos after the UK general elections. According to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the British Secretary "set out that the government would cooperate where we can, compete where needed and challenge where we must."

An official date has not been confirmed for the upcoming visit, with the FCDO spokesperson stating "Foreign secretary travel will be confirmed in the usual way."

China's current relations with the UK

Lammy wishes to take a firm stance on "human rights" during his visit to Beijing. China has imposed sanctions on seven lawmakers in the past for spreading misinformation on Beijing with regards to human rights, including the Labour's Helena Kennedy. 

The UK government is conducting an "audit" of its relations with China, with the intention to "improve the UK’s capability to understand and respond to the challenges and opportunities China poses."

Related News

Aoun, Lammy discuss Israeli aggression on Lebanon, Army efforts

UK restores ties with Syria as Foreign Secretary visits Damascus

"Under the Conservatives, with the exception of the one Cleverly visit, there was no senior-level engagement with China," a senior British source working on the nations' relations said, adding that, "If you look at Starmer’s foreign policy messages you have a reset with Europe and he’s talked about reconnecting with the rest of the world. If that doesn’t include China, then it doesn’t count as reconnecting with the rest of the world."

Policy advisor on China at the Tony Blair Institute, Ruby Osman, said, "Despite having their own – sometimes more serious – differences with Beijing, the US, France, Germany, Australia, and Italy have all still had head-of-state meetings with President Xi," highlighting that the UK has had the most uncomfortable encounters with China with only three ministerial visits taking place in five years with little progress. 

Osman emphasized the government's challenge to recognize that engagement does not equate to agreement. 

"David Lammy has been setting the stage for greater engagement since well before the election," Osman added. "There’s also likely to be a lot of appetite from the Chinese side to boost engagement. Beijing’s aim will be to use the election as a reset in relations after a rocky few years."

Chinese FM calls on Britain to 'strengthen exchanges and cooperation'

Beijing state media reported back on February 17 that at the Munich Security Conference, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi informed former British Foreign Secretary David Cameron that China and Britain should "strengthen exchanges and cooperation."

Xinhua News Agency announced that Wang told his counterpart at the conference on February 16 that both countries should "enhance strategic communication and play their due roles in promoting security and maintaining peace."

He also warned that "resurfacing Cold War mentality, rampant protectionism, and sluggish economic recovery" are some of the challenges the world is currently facing further, urging China and Britain to "strengthen exchanges and cooperation... and bring bilateral relations back to the right track of sound and steady development."

It is noteworthy that China and the UK have been in disagreement in recent months over accusations of espionage. One incident occurred back in January when the Chinese foreign ministry revealed that it sentenced a British national to jail for spying, not to mention criticism leveled against the UK for supporting anti-PRC protesters in Hong Kong. 

  • David Lammy
  • China
  • UK
  • United Kingdom
  • Wang Yi

Most Read

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Major ambush in Gaza kills 6 Israeli troops, injures dozens

Major ambush in Gaza kills 5 Israeli troops, injures 14

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Israeli soldiers are seen in Beit Hanoun ahead of an operation by the al-Qassam Brigades, undated (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)

'Israel' on blast as media exposes report discrepancies in Gaza ambush

  • Palestine
  • 8 Jul 2025
Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

  • Politics
  • 9 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Al Mayadeen: UN Palestine Inquiry members reportedly resigned
Politics

Al Mayadeen: UN Palestine Inquiry members reportedly resigned

Rutte, Trump
US & Canada

Trump threatens 100% secondary tariffs on Russia, sets deadline

Syrian government soldiers on a motorcycle pass by a burning tank on the outskirts of Sweida city, where clashes erupted between the Druze community and Bedouine clans, in southern Syria, Monday, July 14, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Israeli airstrikes target Syrian military factions near Sweida

Lebanon, US, disarmament
MENA

US pressure on Lebanon grows over Resistance disarmament plan

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS