Chance for stability in aftermath of China hawk Liz Truss, analyst says
- The former British PM was ready to forge ahead with her China threat plan before her resignation
- Her departure could ease strained ties but the long-term prospects may not be rosy, analysts warn
Describing the issue as “an internal British matter”, the ministry’s response was similar to its reaction to Johnson’s resignation in July, with Beijing now setting its eyes on Truss’ successor, who is likely to be decided as early as next week.
Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said China’s position on bilateral ties had been “consistent and clear” and “maintaining and developing bilateral relations is the shared responsibility of both China and Britain, and serves the common interests of the two peoples”.
“We hope to work with Britain to push forward China-UK relations on the right track on the basis of mutual respect, mutual benefit and win-win results,” he said.
01:46
Outgoing UK prime minister Liz Truss joins ranks of shortest-serving world leaders
Beijing’s ties with Truss had been difficult since her days as Johnson’s foreign secretary, when she advocated a plan for Britain to designate China as a national security “threat” for the first time.
Soon before her dramatic resignation, Truss was reportedly ready to move ahead with the plan, which Beijing dismissed in August as “irresponsible” and an attempt to promote the “China threat theory”.
The move would have been a major foreign policy shift for Britain from the “golden era” under David Cameron in 2015.
Pang Zhongying, an expert on international affairs at Sichuan University, said Truss’ departure was the culmination of years of political chaos in Britain following the 2016 Brexit referendum, and her departure would not have a big impact on the troubled China-UK relations.
“British politicians have been too busy dealing with domestic political and economic woes, with foreign policy, from the Ukraine war to China, taking a back seat,” Pang said.
He said Truss’ quick downfall showed she was not as mature and popular as Johnson, who looked likely to make a political comeback.
Pang said that compared to Johnson – who despite being erratic and divisive was credited for his fervent support of Ukraine against Russia and shrewd diplomacy – Truss failed to have a lasting foreign policy legacy.
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Shi Yinhong, a professor of international affairs at Beijing’s Renmin University, also said Truss would probably be best remembered for serving as Johnson’s foreign policy aide to help forge a closer transatlantic alliance over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“She did not have time to do much on foreign affairs, but she largely inherited Johnson’s tough approach on Russia and China, with Britain regaining prominence with its pro-Ukraine stance and close alignment with the US with its unilateral and multilateral manoeuvring in the Indo-Pacific region,” Shi said.
China’s ties with Britain have declined sharply in recent years as negative views of China have hardened in Britain and other Western countries and the US-China trade war has taken its toll.
In that time, London has actively embraced Washington’s alliance-based Indo-Pacific strategy to confront China over Hong Kong, Xinjiang, Taiwan and the South China Sea.
In a congratulatory letter to Truss after she beat former Treasury chief Rishi Sunak to become prime minister in September, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang urged her to help bring bilateral ties back on track.
But the two sides were soon on the path to a diplomatic row after the death of Queen Elizabeth.
Citing Beijing’s sanctions on British lawmakers over their criticism of China’s human rights abuses in Xinjiang, the House of Commons barred Chinese ambassador to Britain Zheng Zeguang from paying tribute to the late monarch in Westminster Hall.
An incident was narrowly avoided when Truss’ government invited Chinese Vice-President Wang Qishan to attend the Queen’s funeral instead.
01:57
UK Prime Minister Liz Truss resigns, ending the shortest leadership term in modern British history
While British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly on Tuesday summoned China’s charge d’affaires in London over the incident, Beijing accused “disturbing elements” of illegally entering its Manchester consulate.
Pang said that despite the incident, “there’s room for bilateral ties to stabilise whoever succeeds Truss, especially if Johnson is re-elected”.
Shi, of Beijing’s Renmin University, also said Johnson’s possible comeback might inject a sense of stability and continuity that Britain badly needed.
But he cautioned against any rosy expectations about relations in the long term, given Britain’s diplomatic commitment to the US’ push to curb China’s rise.
US President Joe Biden sought to play down the impact of Truss’ resignation on their bilateral ties, saying the two countries were “strong allies and enduring friends – and that fact will never change”.
