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IIA's Policy Report
[Policy Report No.172] Zheng Yongnian, Yang Xiangfeng: The new changes in British politics and the prospect of China-UK relations
Authored on：2022-09-06
Keywords British political situation Cold War consciousness China-UK relations
Abstract
 
Faced with the most intractable inflation and people's livelihood issues in decades, Truss's insistence on promoting economic growth through tax cuts has been widely questioned. The trade issue in Northern Ireland and the demand for a second independence referendum in Scotland triggered by "Brexit" will also continue to haunt the new government, posing great risks to the political stability and territorial integrity of the UK in the future. On the other hand, Britain's diplomatic strategy of following the United States and turning to the Indo-Pacific will not change, but will be strengthened, and the "anti-authoritarian" political ideology of the Truss government will be more intense. Under such circumstances, it has become a general trend of the UK's China policy to emphasize security rather than trade, and it will become more assertive in the security aspect. The prospect of the improvement of China-UK relations is very slim. Britain is deeply divided politically and geographically, and the economic situation is grim. China needs to stay calm and watch what happens.

Research Questions

  • The performance of British political stability
  • The Cold War consciousness of British diplomacy
  • The prospects of China-UK relations