British Trade Secretary- Britain and China lag behind other G7 countries in exchanges and need to strengthen contact

In a recent interview with Politico, UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade Jonathan Reynolds emphasized that the United Kingdom’s engagement with Beijing in recent years has significantly lagged behind that of other G7 nations. He criticized the previous Conservative-led government for failing to establish stronger ties with China.

Reynolds made these remarks while attending the International Investment Summit held in London on October 14. He highlighted the need for the UK to enhance its connections with China, noting that high-level visits by British officials to China have been notably sparse over the past five to six years.

The last visits by a sitting Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary, Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Secretary of State for Trade occurred in 2018, 2023, 2019, and 2018 respectively. For instance, in 2019, then-Chancellor Philip Hammond attended the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing in April and later co-hosted the 10th UK-China Economic and Financial Dialogue in London that June.

Recent reports indicate that current Foreign Secretary David Lammy plans to visit China this week, while Chancellor Rachel Reeves is scheduled to go in early next year to co-host the resumption of the Economic and Financial Dialogue that has been on hold since 2019.

With the Labour Party winning the parliamentary elections in July, the new government has committed to reassessing UK-China relations within its first 100 days in office. Although there is speculation that the assessment might conclude by spring next year, details regarding the timing and execution remain unclear.

The Conservative government faced criticism during its tenure from 2010 to 2024 for its inconsistent approach to China, struggling to align various departments while grappling with issues around national security, human rights, and the geopolitical situation surrounding events in Hong Kong and the Ukraine war.

As the Labour Party takes office, the direction of UK-China relations remains uncertain. Nevertheless, there have been reports of high-level ministerial visits being actively planned, which has raised concerns among experts familiar with Chinese affairs, especially given the overlap between the party’s “hawkish” faction and those concerned about human rights issues.

As discussions about Lammy’s potential trip to China emerge, prominent barrister Caoilfhionn Gallagher, who leads the international legal team for Jimmy Lai, raised questions in The Times about why Lammy has not yet met with Lai’s family despite repeated requests, especially if the UK government considers the case a priority.

Since Jimmy Lai, a British national and founder of Hong Kong’s Next Media, was sentenced by the Hong Kong government in 2020, the UK has seen five different Foreign Secretaries. Notably, only during David Cameron’s tenure was the Lai family and the international legal team granted a meeting.

Reynolds also addressed the issue of electric vehicle tariffs in China during his interview, pointing out that unlike their counterparts in the US and EU, UK automotive manufacturers have not officially raised concerns about what they perceive as “unfair competition” from Chinese carmakers.

Highlighting the UK’s strong export orientation in the auto industry, with around 80% of British-made vehicles exported, Reynolds stated that the primary concern for the UK remains to ensure access to open and thriving export markets. However, he assured that the government would continue to closely monitor the situation.