00:00A firm handshake between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and UK Foreign Secretary David Lamey,
00:07a symbolic step towards revitalising high-level diplomatic engagement.
00:13This is the first China-UK strategic dialogue in seven years,
00:17aimed at strengthening cooperation on trade, climate change and global security,
00:22while addressing sensitive areas where, in Lamey's words, they don't see eye to eye.
00:28Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged both sides to follow the guidelines
00:32set by Chinese President Xi Jinping and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer
00:37during their meeting at the G20 Summit in Brazil last year,
00:41focusing on trade, health, education and climate action.
00:46UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer also met Wang Yi,
00:49aiming to build a stable and respectful relationship.
00:53The meetings reflect a broader effort to stabilise relations
00:57continuing a series of high-level exchanges since the Labour government took office last year.
01:04Despite political tensions, China remains one of the UK's largest trading partners.
01:09Trade and investment continue to be a cornerstone of bilateral ties,
01:14even as past disputes led to Chinese investment being pulled from critical UK infrastructure,
01:20such as 5G and nuclear power.
01:23China-UK relations have witnessed notable shifts over the past decade,
01:28from the so-called Golden Era in 2015, declared by former UK Prime Minister David Cameron,
01:34to its cooling under Rishi Sunak in 2022.
01:38Now, the Labour government is trying to reassess bilateral ties,
01:41and the recent flurry of diplomatic activity does suggest both parties are exploring ways
01:47to rebuild trust, albeit cautiously.
01:50Li Jianhua, CGTN, London.
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