British Foreign Secretary Cooper will visit China from June 1 to 3 for the 11th UK-China Strategic Dialogue. According to Reuters, this visit follows Prime Minister Starmer’s trip to China in January, marking another high-level engagement aimed at boosting bilateral and multilateral cooperation. Besides Beijing, Cooper will also head to Shenzhen to attend a tech-themed event.
A file photo of British Foreign Secretary Cooper
The UK-China Strategic Dialogue is a regular high-level mechanism established by the two governments. It was launched through a joint statement in May 2004, with the first round held in London in December 2005 and the second in Beijing in September 2007. The 10th round took place in London on February 13, 2025.
Reuters has previously noted that officials from both sides are looking to hold more high-level financial and business dialogues this year. Starmer’s government is keen on attracting new Chinese investment, while China wants better access to UK markets.
Reports say Starmer’s Labour government is committed to getting UK-China relations back on track. This year, officials including the UK’s National Security Adviser Powell and parliamentary representatives have already visited China.
According to British media, Cooper will visit China and India, focusing on global issues like the Strait of Hormuz situation, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and the Ebola outbreak. In India, Cooper will meet with Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar and engage with business, academic, and government partners to advance the “UK-India 2035 Vision” cooperation plan.
With rising global geopolitical tensions, higher oil prices due to US-Israel-Iran conflicts, and weak UK economic growth, the British government says Cooper’s engagements with China and India will focus on how to tackle the “most significant global challenges” of the day.
