Kerry Brown, professor of Chinese studies and director of the Lau China Institute at King's College London, said that Brexit, with a "liberating effect" on Britain, could create an opportunity to strengthen ties between China and Britain and potentially give rise to a new partnership. According to the professor, British Prime Minister Theresa May's official visit to China, the first since she took office in 2016, is set to set a new course for bilateral relations. We are clearly entering a new era.
Britain needs to look beyond traditional partnerships with the European Union and the United States and start looking to China as a new partner, Brown said. “We will have to think of China in a new way and think of China as a new type of partner to whom we are trying to provide some of the things we currently receive from the EU and America, from a partner that has not traditionally been there type of role “.
The expert believes that, if Brexit goes smoothly, both sides can improve cooperation on trade and finance, infrastructure, services, culture and people-to-people exchanges. “The UK could become an even bigger investment destination for China, a bigger financial partner and a bigger intellectual partner in how universities work together,” he said. Britain is China's second largest trading partner in the European Union (EU) and China is Britain's second largest non-European trading partner.
The volume of trade between the two countries reached $ 79 billion in 2017, nearly 6,2% from the previous year, with Britain's exports to China increasing by 19,4%. Meanwhile, more than 500 Chinese companies have opened their offices in Britain, with a total of $ 21,8 billion invested in projects ranging from traditional sectors such as trade, finance and telecommunications to emerging sectors such as new energy. , high-end manufacturing, infrastructure and research centers.
Increased cooperation: Regarding the "Belt and Road" initiative - a way to think about China from a new perspective - the professor said that the initiative offers logistical opportunities and stimulates supply from both sides, referring to the express train direct between London and the east China city of Yiwu known as the Chinese "world supermarket".
In this regard, in an attempt to support the involvement of British companies in the initiative, the British government recently pledged up to 25 billion British pounds ($ 33,3 billion) in financial support for companies participating in the “Belt and Road ”in Asia. However, as the uncertainties of Brexit remain a serious concern, Britain should better position itself and articulate its policies to translate what is enormous potential into reality.
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