Rishi Sunak: So-called 'golden era' in relations with China is over

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has stated that his country’s so-called “golden age” in relations with China is over, and that they need to change their approach towards China. In his speech at the traditional “Lord Mayor’s Banquet” dinner held every year, Prime Minister Sunak made statements about the future of UK-China relations. Sunak said, “We need to change our approach to China. Let’s be frank, the so-called ‘golden age’ along with the naive idea that trade will automatically lead to social and political reform is over.” On the other hand, Prime Minister Sunak underlined that they cannot rely on simple Cold War rhetoric. Referring to the arrest and later release of BBC reporter Edward Lawrence while covering protests against the Covid-19 lockdown in China on November 27, Sunak said: “We recognise that China poses a systematic challenge to our values and interests, a challenge that is becoming more and more acute as it moves towards greater authoritarianism.” Sunak emphasised that under his leadership his country would not opt for the “status quo” and would confront its international rivals with “hard pragmatism, not grand rhetoric”.