Tony Blair

Editor's Note:

Chinese President Xi Jinping will embark on a State visit to the UK this week. It's been said that the trip will herald a "golden time" of China-UK relations. What outcome will the visit bring? Can Britain become China's best Western partner? Tony Blair (Blair), former British prime minister, gave a written reply to Global Times (GT) reporters Yu Jincui and Sun Wei over these questions.

GT: What's your expectation on Xi's forthcoming visit?

Blair: President Xi's visit gives us an opportunity to strengthen the relationship still further. It allows us to open new dimensions of cooperation. And it also says very firmly from the Chinese leadership and the British leadership, at every level, we have a close relationship, we are a partnership, and we want to strengthen that partnership further.

There is a very strong will on behalf of both governments to strengthen this relationship.

Economically, we are now doing a huge amount. In 2013, Britain received more investment from China than from Germany and France put together.

We are going to be receiving more Chinese investment in the future, in infrastructure, like the agreement on the nuclear power station. China also has major investments in high-speed rail networks lined up. British exports to China have grown, while imports from China have grown enormously these past 10 years.

So we are in the situation where there is a very strong wind behind this relationship and Xi's visit will strengthen this, not just economically but politically.

GT: Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne recently said that the UK can be China's best partner in the West during his visit to China last month. In your opinion, how should we interpret this statement?

Blair: Britain really has got the opportunity to become the best Western partner for China. We want to do this. This is something that crosses the whole political spectrum.

We joined the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, which is an important institution with a great role to play and I was pleased Britain decided to join it. We are offering London as a financial center for the issuing of Chinese bonds, which again is important. And the relationship in terms of trade and investment is incredibly important.

We are a big recipient today of inward Chinese investment and this is something that is again building ties between the two countries.

GT: How can both countries cooperate on global issues?

Blair: We share a lot of things in common. Britain, beginning under my premiership and now continuing under this prime minister, wants to play a big part in the climate change debate. We need China for that. We also need a relationship between China and the US for that. So again, because Britain has a strong relationship with China, and a strong relationship with the US, we can help build those ties as well, which will be important for the long term.

And then in respect of things like Syria, the Middle East security problems we have, it's vital that we have an exchange of information and views. And certainly China and the UK, like many other countries, have a challenge with radical Islamist elements. Terrorism is a huge problem for everyone today. It is very sensible to cooperate with China on fighting this.

GT: Despite the increasing economic ties between China and the whole of Europe, the UK and Europe still heavily rely on the US in the political and security realms. How will the UK balance its ties with China and the US?

Blair: As China grows in strength economically and politically, it will play a much bigger part. So you already see, for example, in the global economy everyone says you have work closely with China; you want to solve the problems of the global economy, China is a major address. On climate change, the Americans and the Chinese have an agreement together which is very important, and again, no one believes this issue can be solved without China.

But increasingly, I think you will see this in security terms as well. So, if you look at issues around radical Islamist and terrorist threats, again this is an area where China and the West should work and cooperate closely together.

There are major issues in the world today, everything from the Middle East to the South China Sea, which without China's participation and partnership will be impossible to resolve.

So, this development of China is inevitable and right, but obviously there will be tensions and difficulties.

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