![]() It remains the world's second largest economy with huge political clout, cooperation over issues like climate change and global economic security were highlighted as priorities.īut when it comes to the thornier issues, any hope that simply raising them in meetings might move the dial will almost certainly be in vain.Īs if to reiterate that point, this visit has coincided with breaking reports that Vladimir Putin will visit Beijing in October, his first foreign trip since he was targeted with an international arrest warrant and a reminder, if one was needed, that China is sticking to its own priorities and allegiances. ![]() Indeed, there is a sense he has come here seeking something of a reset in the UK/China relationship after what has been a period characterised by increasing distrust and disagreement, there has been overt acknowledgement that any major breakthrough is unlikely.īut Mr Cleverly has been clear that even in this new more challenging environment, engagement with China is still vital. He is also meeting with Wang Yi, China's foreign minister, known for his assertive and direct style of "wolf-warrior" diplomacy. ![]() James Cleverly no doubt knows this and the stakes felt high as his first meeting with Vice President Han Zheng got under way in Beijing's grand Great Hall of the People. ![]() It's been five years since a British Foreign Secretary has been in Beijing and a lot has changed since then, writes our Asia correspondent Helen-Ann Smith.īack in 2018 China was still largely viewed as an exciting economy to do business with, albeit one that was a little unpredictable.īut in the intervening years it has become increasingly assertive and authoritarian.įrom threats against Taiwan to brutal human rights crackdowns in Hong Kong and Xinjiang, and its thinly veiled support for Putin's war in Ukraine, Xi Jinping's China now poses an increasingly complex diplomatic challenge. ![]()
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