A delegation from the Chinese military made a 7-day visit to the UK and France from June 24th, 2023 to Saturday, July 1st, 2023. According to China’s Ministry of Defense, the intent of the trip was to discuss bilateral defense relations between the nations. During this time, opinions on international and regional peace and security were discussed, especially to enhance mutual understanding and trust, according to the ministry. According to Reuters, this was a timely visit due to the possibility of James Cleverly, the British foreign secretary, visiting China next month to improve on issues of trade, investment, and climate change between the UK and China.
A spokesperson for Britain’s Ministry of Defense said they hosted the Defense Strategic Dialogue in London, where they discussed the war in Ukraine, Indo-Pacific security, Strategic Stability and Proliferation, the South China Sea and Taiwan, and military relations between the UK and China. In one statement on Saturday, United States Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns said, “China is the only country with both the intent to reshape the international order and increasingly the economic, diplomatic, military and technological power to do so,”. He added that it would be foolish to decouple from an economy like China’s.
While it is important to strengthen bilateral ties between nations, it must be done with caution when working with a powerful and non-democratic nation like China. During visits like these, it is essential that France and the UK do not condone China’s violations of human rights. Rather, they should be used to show China the ethical human rights policies that are modeled in France and the UK.
China has a long history of relations with both France and the UK, including trade, investment, and defense strategies. France and China had broken bilateral ties in the mid-19th century when France announced support for Taiwan, but in 1964 they resumed relations and have engaged frequently since then. The UK and China were allies during World War II, however their relations have fluctuated since then. In 2020, the UK ended its military training with the Hong Kong police due to worsening relations with China. However, the British government still claims to “promote UK interests through a strong, effective relationship with China”, according to the official site of the UK Government.
Moving forward, it is essential that defense-related visits between China and other nations are taken seriously due to China’s power and human rights violations. These visits can be influential in improving China’s policies on security, defense, and human rights. Especially as the situation in Ukraine remains poor, it is important to enhance mutual understanding and trust between other nations to prevent similar tragedies.
