UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves is visiting China this weekend to boost economic and financial cooperation, aiming to reset ties with Beijing. The Labour government seeks to grow Britain’s lacklustre economy, particularly through increased access to the second-largest economy in the world.
Reeves will focus on reviving the China-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue, which has been suspended since 2019 due to deteriorating relations. She aims to deepen trade and cooperation while also pressing Beijing on issues like supporting Russia’s war effort in Ukraine and human rights concerns in Hong Kong.
The delegation includes top UK financial officials and executives from major firms like HSBC and Standard Chartered. Reeves’ visit comes after Foreign Secretary David Lammy travelled to China last month, followed by Prime Minister Keir Starmer meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 Summit.
However, some have criticized Starmer’s pragmatic approach, citing concerns about national security and human rights. The opposition Conservative Party argues that trade ties should not compromise these values. Despite this, Reeves is determined to unlock benefits for British businesses exporting to China, while also pushing for greater cooperation on global stability, climate change, and clean energy transition.
Source: https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/01/11/italys-fm-antonio-tajani-meets-lebanons-new-president-josep-aoun-for-talks-in-beirut