August 22, 2023

China is ready to develop positive relations with the UK, but the necessary atmosphere and condition for normal exchanges between the two sides need to be created, Chinese experts said on Tuesday, after media reported that UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly is set to visit China in the last week of August, at a time when the bilateral relationship is at the lowest point in decades. 

Given the British government's lack of autonomy and toughness in the face of pressure from the US and UK's domestic China hawks, Cleverly's possible visit may be more of a tentative contact between the two sides after the pandemic as an overture to restart relations, experts noted.  

Citing sources, Reuters reported on Monday that Cleverly is due to land in Beijing on August 29 and his trip is "only expected to last a couple of days," and has been "scaled back from the original plan." 

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