Relations between China and the United Kingdom (UK) will not be
affected by the impending change in the British cabinet, Chinese
analysts said on Tuesday.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair announced last Thursday that
he would resign on July 27, ending a tumultuous decade in
power.
"Blair adopted a pragmatic approach toward China during his
10years in office, and this had a positive effect on Sino-British
relations," said Ma Zhengang, Chinese Ambassador to the UK from
1997 to 2002.
Sino-British ties have developed well in recent years, with
mechanisms setting up for high-level reciprocal visits and
political dialogue as well as wide-ranging pragmatic cooperation,
Ma said.
Blair, 54, will stand down in June after 10 years in power which
started with the handover of Hong Kong to China on July 1,
1997.
"Hong Kong, which used to be a sensitive topic in China-UK
relations, is now seen as a bridge linking China and the UK," Ma
told Xinhua, saying the British government fully acknowledges the
remarkable developments that have taken place in Hong Kong since
China resumed the exercise of sovereignty in 1997.
Echoing Ma's remarks, British Foreign Secretary Margaret
Beckett, who will start an official visit to China on Wednesday,
praised the "achievements of the people of Hong Kong" over the past
10 years.
Relations between Britain and China are now "in the best shape
ever", Beckett told Xinhua in an exclusive interview before heading
to China, noting plenty of evidence to "back it up."
Among European Union (EU) members, the UK ranks as China's third
trading partner, following Germany and the Netherlands, with
bilateral trade volume of US$30.67 billion in 2006. Meanwhile UK
direct investment to China tops US$14 billion, making it the
largest European investor in China.
Voices are being heard in the UK urging China to shoulder more
responsibility in international issues, said Feng Zhongping, an
expert on European studies with the China Institute of Contemporary
International Relations.
Despite the favorable environment for Sino-UK growth, analysts
warned of the influence of the EU and the United States on UK
policy toward China, especially in regard to the difficult issues
of the recognition of Chinese market economy status and the EU arms
embargo.
Gordon Brown, Blair's finance minister and Blair's most likely
successor, is not expected to make any substantial changes in the
country's foreign policy, Feng said.
"Blair is a pioneer who has been ready to challenge some
traditional conceptions, whereas Brown is more cautious in his
political style," Feng said. "But he is as pragmatic as Blair when
it comes to foreign policy."
(Xinhua News Agency May 16, 2007)
