China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi to Visit UK for Talks Amid Improving Relations

London, February 10, 2025 – China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi is set to visit the United Kingdom on Thursday for talks with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, marking a step toward normalizing relations between the two countries after years of tension.

The discussions are expected to focus on several key issues, including international security and the ongoing war in Ukraine, according to Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s spokesman. Wang Yi and Lammy will also revive the UK-China Strategic Dialogue, which was last held in 2018. The dialogue was paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic and concerns over national security, particularly related to Chinese investments and the political situation in Hong Kong.

Under the leadership of the Labour government, which took power in July, the UK has made improving relations with China a major foreign policy priority. This comes after a period of strained ties under previous Conservative governments, during which diplomatic relations hit their lowest point in decades. British Finance Minister Rachel Reeves visited China last month to resume economic and financial talks that had been frozen since 2019.

Wang’s visit comes just two days after the British government launched an inquiry into China’s stalled plans to build a new embassy in London. The Chinese government had purchased Royal Mint Court, a historic site near the Tower of London, in 2018 but faced resistance from the local council regarding planning permission. The project has been a source of ongoing diplomatic tension.

While the embassy plan remains controversial, British officials, including Lammy and Interior Minister Yvette Cooper, have voiced support for it, despite opposition from local politicians and residents.