Foreign secretary's trip to Beijing could help stabilize relations, analysts say

The visit by British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly to Beijing has been a positive restart of dialogue between China and the United Kingdom, which could help stabilize relations and inject confidence into pragmatic economic cooperation, said analysts and business insiders.

On Wednesday, Cleverly had meetings with Chinese Vice-President Han Zheng and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, when both sides underlined the importance of mutual respect, and stressed sound China-UK relations can bring benefits to the people and help resolve global issues.

Cui Hongjian, director of the China Institute of International Studies' European Studies Department, said the visit could send some positive signals for Sino-British relations, which had touched a low, as it is the first time in five years that an incumbent UK foreign secretary has visited Beijing.

"If it can serve as the beginning of a restart of dialogue at various levels between China and the UK, it would be beneficial to the stability of the bilateral relationship," he said, adding that it shows regardless of any differences between China and the UK, the UK side values China's role and emphasizes communication and cooperation with China.

"But the UK needs to follow up with concrete actions," Cui said. "Since Brexit, the UK has faced domestic economic challenges such as economic, trade, and investment restructuring. The existing economic and trade cooperation framework between China and the UK can play a significant role."

Keith Bennett, a London-based senior analyst on international relations and co-editor of the Friends of Socialist China platform, said the visit is welcome and long overdue.

"It shows a willingness on the part of the British government to maintain and develop a pragmatic relationship with China in contrast to the extreme rhetoric that is still heard from some quarters," said Bennett.

"This improvement in the atmosphere is very welcome, but fundamental progress in our relationship will remain difficult to achieve so long as the UK continues to closely follow the US strategy of a new Cold War, be it in terms of restricting investment on spurious 'national security' grounds or the AUKUS agreement, which endangers peace and security in the Pacific."

The visit has also been well-received by the China-UK business community.

A spokesperson from the China-Britain Business Council said it very much welcomed the China visit by Cleverly.

Constructive engagement

"In particular, we were delighted to take part in a roundtable, chaired by Mr Cleverly, where British business representatives were able to discuss opportunities and challenges in the (China) market. We were also pleased to note that the foreign secretary stressed the need for constructive engagement as well as open dialogue," said the spokesperson.

"We look forward to further strengthening of the bilateral trade relationship, which supports growth in both the UK and China, and addresses important issues such as climate change."

John McLean, chair of the China UK Business Development Centre, said the visit cleared the confusion over the bilateral relations and allowed businesses to engage with purpose and positivity.

"I think a lot of businesses actually have confidence or had confidence, but very few have expressed it openly," said McLean. "If there are kind of doubts from a political point of view, what would you do? You look elsewhere where the challenge may be less. But now these mists or clouds are starting to dissipate."

McLean said the increase in confidence among entrepreneurs will allow people to start planning when they're going to go to China, what they're going to do, and how they're going to do it.

"From my point of view, although we've seen a significant number of Chinese delegations coming to the UK, the demands from the UK to go to China have been far less. So, it needs to be rekindled," he said, adding that he is trying to organize a UK delegation to China to discuss business cooperation in November.

H-J Colston-Inge, director of the British educational charity Engage with China, said the high-level visit was timely as she just embarked on a journey on Tuesday to accompany eight British students to study in Changzhou, Jiangsu province, under a new initiative of the charity that helps young British people to better understand China.

She said she will also sign a cooperation agreement with its Chinese partner, BE Education, on Saturday.

"History is made largely by individuals. In these current times, education plays a vital role in enabling tomorrow's leaders to understand other cultures. Building pathways to friendship through real face-to-face engagement is a positive way to nurture world peace," she said.