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