Reeves floats business reset with Beijing

The UK chancellor is planning a visit to Beijing that would include the first British-Chinese economic summit in more than five years. Under the last Conservative government, David Cameron’s ‘golden era’ of relations gave way to one of mutual unease if not outright distrust: China imposed sanctions on a string of MPs including the current leadership hopeful Tom Tugendhat. Labour’s Rachel Reeves appears on a mission to reset the relationship. A spokesperson says she spoke recently with vice premier He Lifeng on matters of “economic and financial cooperation and communication”. According to Sky News, a meeting of the UK-China Economic and Financial Dialogue, alongside a financial services summit, could convene in Beijing as early as January. Since taking office Reeves has talked up the UK’s relative political stability and investability. But given growing controversy over the planned London IPO of the Chinese retailer Shein, she should probably expect a hostile reaction from Westminster’s remaining hawks.