Sustained engagement urged in Sino-UK relations

Experts in the United Kingdom have called for healthy China-UK relations, supported by consistency in policy, sustained two-way engagement, and a well-informed understanding of China within the UK.

Their comments came after good momentum in bilateral relations as leaders and senior officials of the two sides had held talks or made phone calls to each other since the Labour Party took power in July, covering areas such as foreign policy, trade, clean energy and more.

In November, President Xi Jinping and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer met on the sidelines of the G20 Leaders' Summit in Brazil, marking the first in-person meeting between leaders of the two nations since 2018.

During the meeting, Xi said China and the UK should jointly write the next chapter in the sound and stable development of Sino-British relations. He also emphasized that China and the UK share extensive common interests and enjoy vast space for cooperation, despite differences in history, culture, values, ideas and social systems.

Meanwhile, Starmer said the UK's approach to China would be "consistent, respectful, and pragmatic" to advance shared goals on trade, global stability, green transition, and other areas, according to the Prime Minister's Office.

Noting the positive signals from recent high-level contact, Mark Logan, a former member of the British Parliament and former vice-chair of the all-party parliamentary group on China, pointed out the need for "consistency" in the UK's approach to China in an opinion piece published in October in the South China Morning Post.

While engagement was also on the agenda of the previous Conservative government, the reality was that "the UK hit the reset button so many times … There was no consistency whatsoever," he said.

But interactions have continued at the non-governmental levels, Logan said.

"China is a reality that presents opportunities and many new questions for us in the UK. So, even when the previous government, or indeed politicians, refused to engage with China by speaking with angry opposition, the reality of the situation is that businesses, universities, and students continued to engage daily and with consistent intensity."

"I have argued that the UK-China relationship is an even more historic one," he added. "Our two countries have much to learn from one another. We have a lot to offer the world."

In post-pandemic times, the business community in the UK has helped spearhead engagement.

Clear commitment

In a report released in December, titled, "China-Britain Business Council Submission: HMG's Audit of the China Relationship", the council highlighted its members' "clear commitment" to the Chinese market, with nearly 75 percent of the respondents to a member survey remaining optimistic for growth in China over the next five to 10 years and a majority planning to increase investment.

The report also drew attention to the opportunities brought by Chinese investment for growth and job creation throughout the UK, with data showing its contribution to local prosperity in regions beyond London and the southeast area.

Nonetheless, the document noted bilateral trade had been impacted by the "challenging relationship" and urged a "consistent, clearer" government strategy toward China, along with a support system backed at the high level to facilitate visits, dialogues, market-entry, regulatory changes and more.

Beyond trade, an opinion piece published in August by James Keeley and Lewis Husain, fellows at the Institute of Development Studies, a research organization affiliated with the UK's University of Sussex, said that China cuts across all global challenges and those that matter to the UK, such as climate change, energy transition, infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance, sustainable food systems, and biodiversity loss.

"Cooperation must now be brought back to the center of the relationship," they wrote.

David Houliston, head of city policy of Manchester City Council, echoed the need for committed support from the UK government. The policy and partnership manager for the city has been working to promote trade and clean energy exchanges between Manchester and its counterparts in China.

"What cities and regions are able to do is continue the collaboration … But having government-and-government relationships and a platform to do that does make a difference," he said. "The relationships at the local level will always continue, but what the government can do is accelerate that by showing its intentions."

Ollie Shiell, co-founding director and chief executive of the UK National Committee on China, an educational nonprofit promoting understanding of China, said the UK also needs to develop its China capabilities — "a determined effort to enhance the UK's competence in understanding and interacting with China".

Shiell deemed the strategy vital for a more "sophisticated, resilient, and civilized" China-UK relationship — one that balances mutual interests and disagreements.

He suggested this could be achieved by broadening civic leaders' perspectives on China, fostering practical skills such as negotiation, communication, and network-building for professionals, and nurturing young talent.

"Developing robust 'China capabilities' cannot be done in isolation," he said. "To make a positive difference it must extend beyond Westminster to permeate all levels of British society. After all, the bilateral relationship is not just managed by government officials — it involves the 100,000 people who actively interface with China through business, education, and cultural exchange."