WASHINGTON: As British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak meets with US President Joe Biden at the White House on Thursday local time, seeking to revive the “UK-US special relationship” amid London’s waning power and influence, Chinese observers noted China needs to be wary of London’s possible adventurism and opportunism in the Asia-Pacific region to curry favor with Washington.
It’s Sunak’s first visit to the White House since taking office in October 2022. It’s also his fourth meeting with Biden – the two leaders have crossed paths at a G7 summit in Hiroshima in May, in Belfast in April, and at a three-way defense meeting with Australia in San Diego in March.
According to the British media, the UK and US’ support for Ukraine will be a key topic on the agenda, especially against the backdrop of the breaching of a major dam in southern Ukraine. Sunak will also push for closer economic ties with the US, arguing that economic cooperation is as crucial as defense alliances to security.
However, the UK-US free trade agreement, which has been London’s long-cherished goal after Brexit, is unlikely to be a main topic, the Guardian reported. Sunak will also discuss US’ Inflation Reduction Act, which offers vast sums in subsidies to US green industry while hurting its allies.
Sunak is likely to lobby for the appointment of UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace as the next NATO chief. On artificial intelligence, the British prime minister is expected to make the case that the UK can be a global leader based on its development and regulation, media reported.
Cui Hongjian, director of the Department of European Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Thursday that the disclosed agenda shows a limited amount of substantive issues that the two sides can reach consensus on. The two sides emphasize economic issues, but still have divergence over the free trade agreement and the Inflation Reduction Act, showing their differing perceptions of the bilateral relationship, Cui said.
Li Guanjie, a research fellow from the Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times on Thursday that although UK’s integration with the US is deeper than that with the EU, Sunak’s visit would be far from being productive. –The Daily Mail-Global Times news exchange item
