China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit the UK this week as part of a broader European trip that includes stops in Germany and Ireland. His visit to London comes at the invitation of British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, following their meeting in Beijing last October. The trip is expected to focus on strengthening diplomatic ties and addressing key global issues. CGTN’s Li Jianhua reports.
#ChinaUKRelations #WangYi #Diplomacy #GlobalAffairs
#ChinaUKRelations #WangYi #Diplomacy #GlobalAffairs
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00:00Wang Yi's visit is going to be this reciprocal diplomatic gesture from China.
00:05David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary of the UK, visited China in October last year, as you pointed out from the beginning.
00:11And since the Labour government took office there, we have been seeing a plethora of high-level diplomatic exchanges between the two countries.
00:19David Lammy, last year in October, after that, led to the meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer
00:27at the sidelines of the G20 Summit in November in Brazil.
00:31And after that, we know UK Finance Minister Rachel Reeves visited China in January,
00:36securing this US$730 million worth of deals for the UK economy for the next five years.
00:44So Wang Yi's visit will restart the 10th Strategic Dialogue, which has been effectively suspended since 2018.
00:53So it's been seven years already, and under the framework, both parties are expected to talk about trade, climate action,
01:01and global and regional security, and of course, through issues such as Hong Kong and Xinjiang and Taiwan.
01:07And the significance of this meeting is both parties are willing to talk.
01:11They're willing to come back to the negotiation table at this point.
01:14But still, the Labour government's stance on China is one of strategic and cautious cooperation and challenge,
01:21while China calls for long-term engagement and stability.
01:25So a lot to talk about. Foreign Minister Wang will then visit Munich in Germany and then Ireland. What will he do there?
01:32So Wang Yi is regular at the Munich Security Conference. Last year, he was there.
01:36I also went to the event to cover it, and he addressed China's role as a force for stability.
01:43In a turbulent world, this year, as the spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry just now said,
01:49he will focus on China's stance on major international issues.
01:52And after that, he headed for Ireland. China and Ireland have enjoyed a rather cordial relationship.
01:58The establishment of their diplomatic ties could go back to 1979.
02:03And also, Ireland is one of very few EU countries with which China has fewer tensions at this point.
02:11And Chinese Premier Li Qian visited Ireland last year in January, solidifying bilateral ties.
02:16Of course, investment and trade is still considered the cornerstone of bilateral ties.
02:21China is Ireland's largest trading partner in Asia.
02:24And Ireland is one of the top EU exporters to China, maintaining a trade surplus with China.
02:30Some of its key exports include pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and agricultural products.
02:36If you go to a supermarket in Beijing or Shanghai, you can easily find Irish whiskey, classic, beef and lamb, and dairy products.
02:44For China, Ireland is considered China's gateway to Europe, especially after Brexit.
02:51And Chinese investments are focused on technology, finance, and real estate.
02:55Some of the notable companies, including Huawei and TikTok, they are all operating in Ireland.
03:02Part of the reason is Ireland's relatively lower corporate tax rate, which stands at about 12.5 percent compared with other EU countries.
03:11So the China-Ireland relations look positive but cautious, as Ireland has to balance its economic ties with China with its commitment to EU policies.