The UK will take a consistent, strategic and pragmatic approach to China.
The Foreign Secretary is spending two days in China, where he will meet officials and British businesses in Beijing and Shanghai.
Image courtesy of FCDO
Image courtesy of CCTV
On Friday, 18th October, Mr Lammy met the Chinese Vice-Premier His Excellency Mr Ding Xuexiang and the Chinese Foreign Minister and Director of the Office of the Central Foreign and Affairs Commission His Excellency, Mr Wang Yi in Beijing.
Before leaving the UK, the Foreign Secretary said that, "As permanent members of the UN Security Council with major global economies, the UK and China are global players. Our relationship matters. Engagement with China is pragmatic and necessary to support UK and global interests."
In his meeting with Mr Lammy, Vice Premier Mr Ding said that, "both China and the UK are permanent members of the UN Security Council and major global economies, with deeply intertwined interests." The Vice Premier referred to the recent phone call between President Xi and Prime Minister Starmer, during which they reached important consensus on strengthening cooperation and exchanges across various fields, providing clear direction for the development of bilateral relations. Mr Ding said that China is willing to work with the UK, with a strategic and long-term perspective, to build a stable and mutually beneficial relationship. By upgrading practical cooperation across all sectors, both countries and their peoples will benefit, and greater momentum will be injected into global peace and prosperity.
In his meeting with Mr Lammy, Chinese Foreign Minister Mr Wang said that, "China-Britain relations ... now stand at a new starting point and stressed that competition among major powers should not be the backdrop of this era."
The Foreign Secretary mentioned scope for, "mutually beneficial cooperation" in areas such as climate, energy, science, trade and tech, while cautioning that Britain would "always put its national interests and national security first."
CBBC Chief Executive Peter Burnett emphasised that the organisation is, "very encouraged by the Foreign Secretary’s visit to China. This is the first senior visit from the new government, and sends a positive signal about the vital importance of our bilateral relationship. "
“CBBC believes that such visits are key in underpinning strong economic engagement which not only supports our member companies with business in China, but will also contribute to the government’s growth agenda.”
www.cbbc.org
The China-Britain Business Council (CBBC) is the UK’s national business network promoting trade and investment with China. We have been at the heart of the UK-China relationship for 70 years and are widely recognised as the independent voice of British businesses working with China. Our objective is to support the growth of British trade and investment with China and Chinese companies expanding and investing in the UK. Our diverse membership includes leading UK companies and universities, many of the UK’s most dynamic SMEs, and an ever-increasing number of Chinese companies exporting to and investing in the UK.
英中贸易协会（CBBC）是英国促进对华贸易和投资的国家级商业贸易网络。70年以来，我们一直处在行动的核心位置，积极参与两国在每个行业和地区的合作，被广泛认为是英国企业与中国合作的独立声音。我们的目标是支持英国对华贸易和投资的增长，以及中国企业在英国的扩张和投资。我们的会员包括众多英国领先的公司与知名大学、英国最具活力的中小企业，以及越来越多向英国出口和在英国投资的中国企业等。
