China's Foreign Minister visits UK to restart strategic dialogue

China and the United Kingdom are back at the negotiating table, with diplomatic momentum picking up under the UK's new Labour government. 

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is in London for the first China-UK Strategic Dialogue forum in seven years. Wang is meeting with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy to discuss trade, climate action and security, alongside more sensitive issues where, in Lammy's words, "they don't see eye to eye."

This visit is the latest in a series of high-level exchanges since Labour took office in July 2024. Lammy met Wang in Laos last summer, followed by talks in Beijing in October. A month later, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer met Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Brazil - the first direct meeting between a British and Chinese leader in six years.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang urged both sides to follow the guidelines set by President Xi and Starmer during their meeting at the G20 - focusing on trade, health, education, and climate action.

Wang said that resuming various dialogues and cooperation mechanisms has sent a positive signal to the world. He also stressed that despite differences, China and the UK should engage in dialogue and mutual respect, seeing Britain as an important strategic partner.

Lammy, in turn, described China-UK relations as crucial and stressed the need for strategic communication given today's global challenges. He reaffirmed the UK's commitment to a stable, mature, and effective relationship with China through constructive dialogue and cooperation.

On Ukraine, Wang outlined China's position, calling for de-escalation and peace talks. He also opposed any actions that fuel the conflict.

Starmer's spokesman confirmed that the Prime Minister briefly met Wang during a meeting between the Chinese foreign minister and the UK national security adviser held after Wang had met Lammy.

Key takeaways from the China-UK strategic dialogue

• The UK Energy Secretary will visit China for the China-UK Energy Dialogue.

• The UK Science and Technology Secretary will travel to China for discussions on innovation.

• The UK Education Secretary will join ministerial-level education talks in China.

• Preparations will speed up for discussions on trade, healthcare, and industry collaboration.

• There will be stronger cooperation in financial services, clean energy, and artificial intelligence.

• Both countries will work more closely on global governance, development, climate change, and cybersecurity.

Balancing engagement with caution

Labour's approach to China is more pragmatic than previous Conservative governments. In 2015, then-Prime Minister David Cameron declared a "Golden Era" of China-UK relations, with deep trade and investment cooperation. But ties soured under Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak, with the UK tightening scrutiny on Chinese investments, citing security concerns.

By 2022, Sunak had declared the 'Golden Era' over, shifting to a more cautious stance. Labour isn't looking to fully revive that past vision, but it is adopting what it calls a policy of "cautious cooperation and challenge."

Despite political tensions, China remains one of the UK's largest trading partners. The recent talks suggest both countries see value in keeping economic channels open.

Yet, past disputes still loom large. The UK blocked Huawei from its 5G infrastructure in 2020, bought China's CGN out of the Sizewell C nuclear power project in 2022 and restricted Chinese involvement in critical industries.

Now, the Labour government is reassessing bilateral ties, and the recent flurry of diplomatic activity suggests both sides are exploring ways to rebuild engagement - albeit cautiously.