UK Foreign Secretary's China Trip: Resetting Frosty Ties?

CGTN Europe

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy will embark on a two-day visit to China, starting on Friday. CGTN Europe spoke to Jack Perry, chairman of The 48 Group Club, an organization that promotes trade between China and the UK.

Transcript

00:00Well, I think there's a public format that everyone will be able to see and I think that's important to be able to have that dialogue.

00:09But also in a closed room to be able to say, what are you not happy with from the past government in the UK?

00:15And how are we going to be different?

00:17I think this is a complete amazing opportunity to reset, because in China they look 30 years ahead,

00:24because the leadership doesn't change as often, they have that capability to do so.

00:29In the UK, we switch every four to five years.

00:32So it is almost a complete reset and saying, we weren't the people from the past, we're different.

00:38In what sectors do you anticipate the most immediate opportunities for the business community?

00:44Well, on a basic line, the relationship between China and the UK has not been good.

00:48It's not been the golden age or the era.

00:51So I think we need to step slowly and take those steps together, holding each other's hand in areas that we're both comfortable with.

00:58So I think if you look at green energy, green technology, hydrogen energy, which is a big focus for both of us,

01:06and advanced manufacturing, if you look at China at the moment, high productive forces, high quality development,

01:12those are the areas we can focus in.

01:14But we need to be clear what we're comfortable in doing with China.

01:19We can't go into areas that in two years' time we're going to stop that investment.

01:24So clarity is the most important thing here.

01:27The UK is looking for more investment.

01:30The country just held the International Investment Forum 2024, hoping to attract more investment to the UK.

01:37And China had very little presence at the event.

01:42Yeah. I mean, if you came to tea at my house and I wasn't very nice to you, would you come back?

01:48No. So let's be honest about it.

01:51We haven't been available with our manners that China will be wanting to come and sit there and have tea with us and have discussions.

02:02I mean, that's just simple. We need to show that we're willing to work with China.

02:06It's inevitable that things will go wrong.

02:09That's OK. Those things happen.

02:11But we need to be able to sit together and say we want to work with you.

02:16That's OK. But the action from that is highly important.

02:20And when Lamy comes back, it's what happens after that which everyone will be looking at.

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