MK sports Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Lammy as both sides hold the 10th China-UK Strategic Dialogue in London, UK, on February 13, 2025. Photo: Chinese Foreign Ministry" src="https://www.globaltimes.cn/Portals/0/attachment/2025/2025-02-14/5f7a50a8-ae1b-4be5-a275-321fab0bc32a.jpeg" />

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (right) shakes hands with UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Lammy as both sides hold the 10th China-UK Strategic Dialogue in London, UK, on February 13, 2025. Photo: Chinese Foreign Ministry

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to the UK was a great success and achieved positive outcomes, marking an important move of implementing the common understandings between leaders of the two countries. The visit also enhanced strategic communication between China and the UK and drew the roadmap for bilateral exchanges and cooperation going forward, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Friday.

From February 12 to 13, at the invitation of UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Lammy, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi visited the UK and held the 10th China-UK Strategic Dialogue with the UK Foreign Minister. He also met with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Prime Minister's National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell, according to Guo.

While outlining the achievements, Guo said that Wang visited the UK after 10 years and the two sides held a new round of strategic dialogue after seven years. This speaks to both sides' willingness of following up on the common understandings between leaders of the two countries, and stabilizing and improving the bilateral ties. 

Both sides agreed to follow the important common understandings between leaders of the two countries, cement strategic communication, enhance mutual understanding, uphold openness and cooperation as the underlying feature, explore ways to expand common interests and work for the steady and sustained growth of China-UK relations, said Guo.

The visit will help guide China-UK relations toward a more stable and forward-looking path. It sends two clear signals: the renewal of bilateral ties and their readiness for further growth. While previous tensions were fueled by the British government, the Labour Party has been actively realigning its China policy, Cui Hongjian, professor of the Academy of Regional and Global Governance at Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times on Friday. 

Guo also said at the press conference that China spoke positively of the Labor government's reasonable and pragmatic China policy, and stressed that China views the UK as an important strategic partner and stands ready to deepen and expand cooperation in various areas and work for new progress in bilateral relations.

During the 10th China-UK Strategic Dialogue, the two sides agreed on a roadmap for bilateral exchanges and cooperation. The two sides will hold the China-UK Energy Dialogue, the Meeting of China-UK Joint Commission on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Cooperation, and the China-UK Education Summit, accelerate preparations for hosting dialogues under mechanisms of the China-UK Joint Trade and Economic Commission, health care and industrial cooperation, create highlights in cooperation on financial services, clean energy and AI, and deepen cooperation on global governance, development partnership, climate response and cybersecurity.

The six outcomes reflect the practical needs of both China and the UK, essentially reconstructing the dialogue and cooperation mechanisms in key areas, which have played a significant role in restarting China-UK relations, Li Guanjie, a research fellow with the Shanghai Academy of Global Governance and Area Studies under the Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times. 

It is foreseeable that there will be extensive cooperation between the two sides in cutting-edge technology fields, which is beneficial to both. These six outcomes may also play an important role in shaping the UK's policy toward China and are more conducive to the healthy development of bilateral relations, said Li. 

The consensus reached during the strategic dialogue also highlights the broad scope of China-UK relations and the significant potential for cooperation. The dialogue underscores the need for both sides to adopt a rational, pragmatic approach, to enhance collaboration and unlock the full potential of their partnership, said Cui.

However, Cui also noted that a key obstacle to further improving China-UK relations may be the UK's public opinion environment, as negative media coverage on China has influenced bilateral ties and the public's understanding of China. Despite both governments' desire to improve relations, some UK media outlets and people still view the relationship with bias.

Both sides should focus on practical cooperation, using concrete actions to shift negative perceptions, said Cui.