13th Feb 2025 14:05
(Alliance News) - UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy held talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in London on Thursday, in the latest sign of improving ties between the two countries.
The meeting saw the pair revive the so-called UK-China Strategic Dialogue, a bilateral forum that was last held in 2018 before it stalled as relations soured.
"After seven years time, I'm sure that this will be conducive to the study, improvement and stabilisation and development of our relations," Wang told Lammy.
"I hope that through this dialogue, we can deliver on the important common understandings between our two leaders," he added as the two met at Lammy's official residence.
The Labour government, elected in July, has sought to improve the UK's relationship with Beijing after the two countries fell out during the latter years of Conservative rule.
Relations fell to their lowest level in decades due to UK criticism of China's crackdown on freedoms in Hong Kong, claims of Chinese espionage and political interference in the UK, as well as Beijing's support for Russia in its war with Ukraine.
In a major thawing of tensions, Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Chinese President Xi Jinping met at the G20 summit last November – the first bilateral meeting between leaders of the two countries since 2018.
Finance minister Rachel Reeves then visited China last month seeking investment in Britain's anaemic economy, while Lammy visited Beijing in October.
The UK government says it continues to raise concerns over human rights, including China's treatment of Uyghurs.
But Lammy said it was important that Britain and China engage in "robust but constructive discussion".
The meetings come as the UK government is due to rule soon on whether to approve Beijing's controversial plans to open a new, larger embassy in London.
source: AFP
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