On October 19, 2024, the British Foreign Office stated that during the first day of his visit to China, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy applied pressure on Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi concerning human rights and Beijing’s support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
This marks the first visit to China by the British Foreign Secretary since taking office. Lammy faced pressure to take a tough stance on issues such as China’s human rights violations during his meeting with Wang Yi.
In a statement following the meeting, the British Foreign Office described the talks as “constructive” and noted that Lammy raised “multiple diplomatic policy and security issues,” including Chinese companies providing equipment to the Russian military and the ongoing situation in the Middle East.
The statement also mentioned that human rights issues were “discussed,” including allegations of the Chinese government’s mistreatment of Uighurs in Xinjiang and the continued detention of Hong Kong democracy activist Jimmy Lai, who holds British citizenship.
Prior to his visit to China, Lammy emphasized the importance of engaging in “frank” dialogue on areas of disagreement and cooperation that align with British national interests.
Before serving as Foreign Secretary, Lammy, as an opposition member, recommended categorizing the Chinese government’s persecution of Uighur Muslims as “genocide.”
A spokesperson for Downing Street stated on Thursday, “Our position on upholding human rights is firm, and it is abundantly clear that China (the CCP) continues to persecute and arbitrarily detain Uighurs and other primarily Muslim ethnic minorities.”
In addition to human rights and security issues, the statement mentioned that Lammy also proposed engaging in “pragmatic, mutually beneficial cooperation” with Beijing, including transitioning to green energy, international development, global health, safe use of artificial intelligence, and promoting “secure and resilient growth” through trade and investment.
The Foreign Office statement noted that Lammy also urged Wang Yi to take more measures to prevent Chinese companies from supplying goods to the Russian military.
Earlier this year, Reuters reported that Russia had established a weapons program in China to develop and produce long-range attack drones for the conflict in Ukraine, which raised serious concerns in the UK.
Sebastien Lai, the son of Jimmy Lai, a democracy activist and British citizen detained by the Hong Kong government, told Sky News that he hoped Lammy would clearly state that “normalizing relations would be impossible if they continue to detain a British national for standing up for our foundations of freedom and democracy.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized that ensuring the release of Jimmy Lai is a “top priority.”
Earlier this week, the CCP conducted large-scale military exercises around Taiwan, with Starmer stating that such exercises are “not conducive to peace and stability.”
As the British Foreign Secretary visits China, relations between the CCP and the EU are deteriorating on various trade issues, while tensions with the United States continue to escalate.
According to UK government data, China is the UK’s sixth-largest trading partner, accounting for 5% of total trade.
During his visit to Beijing, Lammy also met with Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang.
In a statement, Beijing said Ding expressed China’s readiness to cooperate with the UK to establish a “more stable and mutually beneficial” relationship, emphasizing the necessity of “pragmatic cooperation.”
Lammy is expected to travel to Shanghai to hold talks with British businesses on economic ties between the UK and China.
Lammy is the second senior British diplomat to visit China in six years. In August 2023, James Cleverly became the first Foreign Secretary to visit China since 2018.
He also underscored the importance of establishing a “practical” relationship with Beijing while expressing concerns about human rights issues in Hong Kong and Xinjiang.
(Reference: PA Media and Reuters)