In February 2022, the Great Britain-China Centre (GBCC) hosted HE Zheng Zeguang, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the United Kingdom, who shared his views on China’s foreign policy and UK-China relations with the first cohort of GBCC’s Future Leaders Programme.
The Ambassador’s speech provided insights into China’s understanding of its global role and the international system at large, as well as China’s view of bilateral relations with the UK, including areas for closer cooperation. The speech also touched on the Beijing Winter Olympics and the domestic and international management of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Ambassador’s remarks were followed by a Q&A session with the Future Leaders cohort. Participants’ questions notably addressed China’s position with regards to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and China’s interpretation of the UN Charter, with participants stressing the importance of China’s response to this international crisis. Further questions focused on China’s foreign policy rhetoric, the handling of areas of disagreement between the UK and China, the resumption of a number of bilateral dialogues, as well as the Ambassador’s own experience of living in the UK.
Throughout the exchange, all sides stressed the importance of continued dialogue and robust discussion between the UK and China at different levels.