2023-08-30 10:54:29
When Qi Zhanming met with Han Zheng, Han Zheng expressed the hope that through mutual respect and practical cooperation, new progress can be made in Sino-British relations.
Qi Zhanming said that it is very important for the two countries to hold regular face-to-face talks to avoid misunderstandings, and it is also important to resolve the challenges and differences of opinion that all countries face in bilateral relations.
The visit was originally planned to take place in July, but it was postponed due to the sudden disappearance of Qin Gang, then foreign minister of the Communist Party of China. This time, Qi Zhanming will also meet with Wang Yi, who will serve as foreign minister again.
The visit was opposed by the British Parliament. According to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), members of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the British Parliament criticized the government’s China strategy as incoherent. Iain Duncan Smith, the former leader of the Conservative Party who has been concerned about human rights issues in Xinjiang and Hong Kong for a long time, also publicly criticized that the foreign minister’s visit to China shows that the government is implementing “appeasement” towards China.
Qi Zhanming retorted in an interview with the “Financial Times” that if the UK does not use its influence and raises concerns about Hong Kong and Xinjiang to China, it is a sign of weakness. He clearly pointed out that this trip will show China that the UK welcomes investment from China as long as it does not pose national security concerns.
According to Radio Free Asia, before leaving the Philippines for Beijing, Qi Zhanming promised to the media that he would put pressure on Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Ukraine and cyber security issues, and also encouraged China to cooperate with Western countries on the issue of climate change. work more closely together.
Qi Zhanming also promised that when he holds talks with Han Zheng, he will raise concerns about human rights issues, including the situation in Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong, and will also raise China’s sanctions against British MPs.
Hong Kong Supervision and Administration Director Rogers said on Facebook that this is the first time since Hong Kong imposed the “National Security Law” and Hong Kong’s democracy was destroyed. They asked Qi Zhanming to make it clear to China that the stability between the two countries The relationship will hinge on China’s commitment to uphold the Joint Declaration and respect for the rights, freedoms and autonomy of Hong Kong people. Otherwise, Beijing’s promises to tackle climate change, end the war in Ukraine, and maintain peace across the Taiwan Strait mean little if Beijing so openly and frequently reneges on its international commitments to the United Kingdom, the United Nations, and the people of Hong Kong.
Sino-British relations hit rock bottom more than three years ago after Beijing imposed the National Security Law in Hong Kong. Since then, the two countries have sanctioned each other’s personnel for the CCP’s human rights violations in Xinjiang. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who took office last year, said in his first major foreign policy speech that the so-called “golden age” with China was over.
On August 29, the eve of Qi Zhanming’s visit to China, the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee (House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee) of the British Parliament published an 87-page report, saying that Beijing “poses a threat to the UK and its interests” and believed that the Chinese Communist Party is currently The behavior is characterized by an increasing provocation against Britain.
The report also clearly stated: “Taiwan is already an independent country, the country’s name is the Republic of China. Taiwan has all the qualifications for state status, including permanent population, defined territory, government, and the ability to establish relations with other countries, but lacks the broader international recognition.”
The CCP has always claimed sovereignty over Taiwan, and has repeatedly emphasized that the Taiwan issue is the core of the CCP’s core interests and is the first red line that cannot be crossed.
Alicia Kearns, chair of the committee from the ruling Conservative Party, said it was the first time a parliamentary report had made such a statement. Keynes told the European edition of POLITICO: “The Foreign Secretary must stand firmly and publicly in support of Taiwan and make it clear that we will uphold Taiwan’s right to self-determination.” Keynes added: “This commitment is not only in line with British values, It also sends a clear message to authoritarian regimes around the world that sovereignty cannot be achieved through violence or coercion.”
The report expressed concern about the incoherence of the British government’s China policy and called for the release of an unclassified China strategy as part of a “coherent, whole-of-government approach”. The committee also believes that a confidential version of the strategy should be presented to all relevant ministers.
The cross-party committee also condemned China’s attacks on Hong Kong dissidents in the UK, and the report called on the UK to tell the Chinese government that such practices were unacceptable.
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