British Prime Minister Gordon Brown arrives today for his first
state visit to China since taking office. His predecessor and
Labour Party comrade Tony Blair visited this country three times
during his 10 years in office. Brown's visit gives prominence to
the China factor in his government's new global diplomatic strategy
and serves as an important connecting point between the past and
future for the consolidation and deepening of the comprehensive
strategic partnership between China and the United Kingdom.
The China-UK relationship has a long history and is one of the
most important factors in contemporary China-European ties. The UK
is the first Western country to recognize the People's Republic of
China after it was founded in 1949. And the two sides reached an
agreement to exchange charges d'affairs in 1954, and signed the
Joint Communique on the Agreement on the Exchanges of Ambassadors
in 1972.
Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China and the
UK have seen their bilateral ties gradually improving despite
periodic turbulence. Particularly noteworthy is that the two
nations saw through the smooth return of Hong Kong's administration
to China with a Labour government in London and they formed a
comprehensive strategic partnership in 1997.
Since the beginning of the 21st century, China and Britain have
conducted proactive and effective talks and dialogue in multiple
areas. They have also stepped up and expanded political cooperation
in strategic security, anti-proliferation, and realizing a
low-carbon economy and sustainable development. Both sides agreed
to push for the making of a safer, more prosperous and more open
world, ensure the United Nations Charter is better respected and
make joint efforts in reaching the UN's Millennium Development
Goals.
In 2004, Premier Wen Jiabao signed the China-UK Joint
Declaration during his visit to Britain - the milestone document
that raised the bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic
partnership. The comprehensive strategic partnership has been
maturing as the two countries' strategic interests meet more
frequently. The Labour government has always maintained the
one-China policy and opposed the Taiwan authorities' plan to hold a
referendum over joining the UN.
Prime Minister Brown attaches great importance to UK-China
relations and has visited China several times. He is particularly
well-informed about China's economy. In 2005, he paid his first
visit to China as finance minister and signed a joint statement
with his Chinese counterpart on further cooperation.
He believes that the fast rise of India and China has brought
more hope to the world and the Group of Eight (G8) must include
emerging economies of considerable influence. In a speech delivered
before departure, he said the UK-China relations were "very solid"
and a couple of China-themed cultural events to be held in London
would be "very significant events".
The Chinese and British economies are dynamic in their own ways
and are competitors and partners in cooperation at the same time.
Their highly inter-complimentary relationship has produced win-win
results in bilateral, economic and trade cooperation.
The UK tops the EU for investment in China and is China's third
largest trade partner. Bilateral trade value was $30.67 billion in
2006 and then grew by 30 percent in the first quarter of 2007, with
the annual total for the year expected to hit $37 billion.
Globalization has brought Britain a tremendous opportunity. Its
economy is the freest in Europe, making it the first choice in
Europe for many foreign investors and a springboard for emerging
economies to plunge into the EU market. Closer cooperation between
China and the UK will help both of them better handle future global
challenges.
London is the financial and insurance center of the world. The
Alternative Investment Market (AIM) in London has been developing
at an amazing pace, is very effective for fast-growing companies
and the first choice for Chinese enterprises seeking to be listed
overseas. Fifty-one Chinese enterprises had been listed on the AIM
by the end of 2006. And Britain is interested in cooperating with
China in developing pension and insurance fund services.
A growing number of British enterprises have entered the Chinese
market in recent years. The front-runners include those in the
service industry, which have blazed a trail in China with their
expertise in banking, retail, insurance and other services.
The number of Chinese non-government-owned enterprises investing
in the UK is increasing as well. Lenovo, Huawei and ZTE are just a
few bigger companies among several hundred Chinese enterprises
operating in Britain today. Cooperation in labor exchange is
another highlight of the inter-complimentary nature of the two
countries' economic and trade ties.
A rare opportunity to deepen China-UK cooperation significantly
lies in three international events - the 2008 Beijing Olympic
Games, the 2010 Shanghai World Expo and the 2012 London
Olympiad.
Britain's achievements in the financial services, innovation and
sustainable urban development industries, and world-leading
technology in such areas as clean energy, bio-fuels, new materials
and environmental protection mean much more potential for China-UK
cooperation and trade.
Since he moved in at 10 Downing Street last June, Brown has
called for international cooperation, recognition of common
interests, international policy adjustments and the construction of
a global society. He kicked off his foreign policy maneuver by
adjusting the UK-US relations in an attempt to go beyond the
"special bond" between the two traditional allies and shake off the
negative impact from Britain's participation in the war in Iraq. At
the same time, he has carried on his predecessor's policy of
identifying with Europe and emphasizing reform, but with his own
touch.
An old Chinese saying has it that a man reaches intellectual
maturity at 40. The China-UK diplomatic ties are approaching this
kind of maturity. It will be the best time for the development of
their bilateral relationship between now and then. As permanent
members of the UN Security Council, China and Britain have common
interests in maintaining world peace and security and advancing
joint development and prosperity.
The author is a researcher with China Institute of International
Studies
(China Daily January 18, 2008)
