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World
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper will visit China and India to address global concerns including the Strait of Hormuz, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and Ebola outbreaks.
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper is scheduled to travel to China on Monday, followed by a visit to India later in the week. Her diplomatic tour will concentrate on international matters ranging from the Strait of Hormuz and the Russia-Ukraine war to the latest Ebola virus outbreaks.
Cooper’s visits to China and India, the world’s second and sixth largest economies respectively, occur amid rising geopolitical tensions and increasing oil prices following the outbreak of the US-Israeli conflict with Iran. This comes at a time when the UK is experiencing a slowdown in economic growth.
The British government announced that Cooper will meet with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Chinese Vice President Han Zheng on June 2. The following day, she will travel to Shenzhen, a technology hub in southern China, to participate in a program focused on science and technology.
Cooper is expected to arrive in India on June 4, where she is set to meet with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, along with business leaders, academics, and government partners involved in implementing the "UK-India 2035 Vision" initiative.
The British government stated that Cooper’s meetings with these two major powers are anticipated to focus on addressing the most pressing global challenges.
During British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to China in January, he and Chinese leader Xi Jinping praised the resetting of bilateral relations and pledged to enhance cooperation in trade, investment, and technology for mutual benefit.
Starmer, who is confronting some of the lowest popularity ratings among UK leaders, became the first British prime minister to visit China in eight years. His Labour Party government, positioned center-left, has prioritized improving relations with Beijing.
Last year, the UK and India signed a free trade agreement aimed at boosting bilateral trade and improving market access across various sectors.
However, Indian Commerce Minister Rajesh Agrawal stated last month that the implementation of the agreement has encountered obstacles due to new steel import restrictions imposed by London.
Amid internal challenges, the British Foreign Secretary has condensed her diplomatic tour.
