David Lammy photo:VCG

Amid anticipation of a reported visit to China by new British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Chinese experts noted a renewed focus by the Labour government on China-UK relations. They expressed hope that the Starmer administration would steer the bruised ties back on track. 

However, experts remain cautious, emphasizing that tangible actions are crucial in demonstrating sincerity in improving bilateral relations.

According to a report by Bloomberg citing people familiar with the matter, Lammy is considering making a visit to China as part of the new Labour government's efforts to "recalibrate the UK's relationship with Beijing."

It would be the second by a UK foreign secretary in the last six years, following former UK foreign secretary James Cleverly in August 2023.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning did not confirm the report at Wednesday's press briefing, but noted that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi recently met with Lammy in Vientiane, Laos.

"We are positive and open towards enhancing bilateral exchanges and cooperation," Mao said, "A stable and mutually-beneficial China-UK relationship serves the fundamental interests of both peoples, helps the two sides come together to respond to global challenges, and contributes to world peace and development. We hope to work with the UK on the basis of mutual respect and win-win cooperation for new progress in bilateral relations, so as to bring more benefit to both countries and the wider world."

Before taking office, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer had stated that the first thing his government would do is to carry out an "audit" of its relations with Beijing. 

Lammy is also rushing to deliver on a promise to launch a China policy review within 100 days, as he believed that the country's former approach to China "oscillated wildly over the past 14 years" of Tory rule and vowed to "adopt a more consistent strategy," Politico reported. 

Zhao Junjie, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of European Studies, told the Global Times on Wednesday that Lammy's emphasis on the need for continuity in the UK's China policy aims to maintain a healthy and stable relationship with Beijing, and refrain from tilting the balance completely toward the US. 

"And because of the emphasis on continuity, the new government is likely to uphold the relatively friendly approach toward China by previous Labour leader Tony Blair.

 What's more, with Labour's advocacy in many significant areas such as green economy, energy transition and climate change response, there is a lot of common ground with China, providing a sound basis for cooperation," Zhao noted.