British PM Keir Starmer arrived in China on Wednesday after 8 years on a three-day visit. Earlier in 2018, the then British PM Theresa May had reached China. Global politics has changed a lot in the last 8 years. Due to the aggressive policies and statements of US President Donald Trump, European countries are looking for new partners, in such a situation China seems to be a strong option for them. Before leaving for China, Starmer had told the media that Britain does not need to choose between America and China. Relations with America will remain, but it would not be right to ignore China. At the same time, China’s Foreign Ministry said that this visit will increase trust between the two countries and bring stability in relations. Even though Britain is calling China an essential country today, at the time of Corona in 2020, it had expelled the Chinese tech company Huawei from its country on suspicion of espionage. 3 pictures related to British PM’s visit to China… Britain had expelled the Chinese company from the 5G project. In 2010, the British government allowed the Chinese company Huawei to work on the mobile network in the country. At the same time, a special office named ‘The Cell’ was created in Huawei’s office, through which the government kept an eye on the company’s work. It was considered important for national security for many years. Britain’s cyber security experts used to work in this office. At Huawei’s expense, they tested all its hardware and software to ensure there was no code that could be misused. Still, the British government did not have complete confidence in this system. After allowing Huawei to operate for nearly 10 years, the government decided in 2020 to exclude it from Britain’s 5G networks. That same year, a parliamentary investigation said there was clear evidence of collusion between Huawei and the Chinese Communist Party. The 5G equipment already installed will have to be removed. Now ‘The Sale’ has become an example of how many difficulties Britain faces in its relations with China. On one hand, there are concerns related to the security of intelligence agencies, on the other hand, private companies want cheap technology and the government hopes to improve the economy. Experts and former diplomats say that different governments have not been able to strike the right balance regarding China. Because of this, there is doubt and fear in Britain’s policy. Experts said – China is such a reality which needs to be faced. Starmer’s visit is an attempt to reduce the doubts and fears about China. This visit is taking place at a time when diplomatic activities between Europe and China are intense. The Prime Ministers of Finland and Ireland have also visited China in recent weeks. The German Chancellor is also likely to visit China in February. Prime Minister of Finland Petteri Orpo met with Chinese President Xi Jinping. In a statement issued by China, it was said that Xi Jinping said that China and the European Union are partners, not rivals and cooperation is more important than differences. PM Keir Starmer has also admitted that Britain’s attitude towards China has sometimes been very soft and sometimes very strict. He says that he does not believe in binary thinking with China like ‘Golden Era’ or ‘Ice Age’. Experts say that Britain is now considering China neither as a friend nor as an enemy, but as a reality which needs to be faced. Professor Kerry Brown of King’s College London said that Britain will have to look for other options and other countries are also doing so. The purpose of Keir Starmer’s visit to China… 10 years ago, the British PM served beer to the Chinese President. According to CNN, at one time Britain felt that it could get all kinds of benefits by befriending China. After 2010, the then PM David Cameron and Finance Minister George Osborne strengthened relations with China. His effort was to make London a major center for Chinese investment and to include China in big projects like nuclear energy. When Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Britain in 2015, these relations were described as a ‘golden era’. At that time Cameron had also taken him to an old pub to drink beer. But after this the situation changed. Many plans got stuck due to Britain’s decision to exit the European Union (EU) in 2016. Then, due to China’s ‘Made in China 2025’ plan, Britain’s exports to China also started weakening. The politics of big powers changed because of Trump. China’s strictness in Hong Kong further deteriorated the relations. In response, Britain offered its citizenship to millions of people there. Then in 2020, Britain banned Huawei and in 2023, China stopped investing money in a nuclear project. However, now the situation seems to be changing. The politics of big powers seems to be changing under Trump’s leadership. In such a situation, Starmer has brought along senior officials of big British companies on his visit to China so that trade with China can be increased. Trump’s policies brought Europe and China closer. Experts say that Trump’s attitude is bringing Europe and China closer. A Beijing researcher said that due to Trump’s policies the EU has had to engage with China and relations are improving rapidly. A professor at London University said that the previous government insisted on more strict rules, whereas the current government is focusing more on improving economic relations. The interests of the two countries are not the same, but Britain wants to improve relations with China to improve its economy. The timing of this visit is also being discussed in Britain. Just a few days ago, Britain has given approval to China to build a big embassy near the financial area of London. This decision was earlier postponed due to security concerns, because cables carrying important data pass through there. Some former ministers and critics of China believe that in efforts to improve relations, China’s human rights record is being ignored, especially regarding Xinjiang and Hong Kong. Starmer is expected to raise these issues.
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