China UK Photo: VCG

A sustained and steady China-UK relationship serves the interests of the two countries and contributes to the joint international response to global challenges and world peace and development, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said, in response to UK foreign secretary's upcoming visit to China.

At the invitation of Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi, David Lammy, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the UK, will pay an official visit to China from October 18 to 19, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning announced on Thursday. 

Further elaborating on the visit, Mao said at a press briefing on Thursday that Lammy's upcoming visit will be the first to China by a UK Cabinet minister under the new government, and the two sides will have an in-depth discussion on implementing the important understandings reached between the leaders of the two countries during their phone call in August, enhancing strategic mutual trust, and strengthening dialogue and cooperation in various fields.

Both China and the UK are permanent members of the UN Security Council and major economies in the world. China stands ready to work with the UK to continue seeing each other as partners, uphold open cooperation, strive for mutual benefits, and promote the sustained and steady growth of bilateral relations, Mao said.  

According to Li Guanjie, a research fellow with the Shanghai Academy of Global Governance and Area Studies under the Shanghai International Studies University, the visit may have the purpose for the UK to review and adjust its China policy.

The Labour government needs to change the UK's chaotic China policy over the past decade or so, therefore the visit could be an attempt to stabilize and improve the relationship with Beijing and reset the UK's diplomatic priorities, Li said. 

After the ups and downs, both sides are looking forward to this visit to rebuild mutual political trust. Specific topics of discussion between the two sides are likely to include economic cooperation, trade, according to experts. 

Although the new Labour government reportedly seeks less confrontational ties with China and to resume trade and investment talks, they still need to balance the impact of the Conservative Party, Cui Hongjian, a professor at the Academy of Regional and Global Governance at Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times on Thursday.

To bring China-UK relations back on track, the Keir Starmer administration needs to make a clear distinction between its China policy and that of the Conservative Party, Cui said, noting that the UK should reassess its China policy from a more practical and impartial perspective.